


Bitten by the Love Bug

by baeconandeggs, jingyeolbaeks



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: BAE2017, Language, M/M, Sex, alcohol use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 13:10:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11059656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jingyeolbaeks/pseuds/jingyeolbaeks
Summary: Chanyeol’s no exterminator but he’s always there when he hears his next door neighbor screaming about a bug.





	Bitten by the Love Bug

**Author's Note:**

> Author: anonymous  
> Prompt#: 97  
> Title: Bitten By the Love Bug  
> Word Count: 22,206  
> Side Pairing(s): none  
> Rating: NC-17  
> Warning(s): Language, Alcohol Use, Sex  
> Disclaimer: The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> Author's Note: Wow I cannot believe I made it this far. Let me start off by thanking the BAE mods for always being so lovely and understanding. I'd like to give a huge shout out to H and F because without you two I don't think I'd be here with this fic. Truly thankful for you both ♡ I know I tirelessly exhausted you. To everyone reading this, I apologize ahead of time for being lame and making a lot of nerdy references. I also know absolutely nothing about Overwatch. Enjoy.

  
***  
  
  
Baekhyun trudges in his apartment after a long day at work, toeing off his loafers and slinging his laptop bag on the arm of his Italian leather couch. He takes a brief moment to run slim fingers through his sable hair, the texture lifeless and dull from continuous negligence. At this point he should be used to getting home at almost eight o’clock, but it still drains the life out of him and all he wants is to plant himself in his cushy recliner and kick his feet up for the remainder of the evening.

He enjoys his job, he really does. As the highest selling project sales manager in his company at only twenty-five, Baekhyun has completely shattered all expectations of what a newly hired salesman can accomplish. Fortunately for him, he was gifted in both organization and likeability (which goes a long way when your job depends on your ability to develop proposals and sell them to clients with assurance that nothing will go wrong after they drop thousands of dollars upfront). Baekhyun is responsible for coordinating the entire remodeling process from start to finish. This results in meetings all throughout the day and a phone that never stops ringing, but it’s worth it when he receives that hefty paycheck. He also loves the satisfaction he gets when a client sees their newly renovated space for the first time and knowing he took part in making someone’s dreams come true.

 _Love Where You Live_ , that is his company’s motto.

He can’t exactly say the same for his own living arrangement. The apartment building is in a decent neighborhood and it’s only a few blocks from his office, but the majority of the residents happen to be middle-aged parents with children who have no concern for the hardworking individuals that need some _peace and quiet_ every once in awhile. That, or they are newly married couples that serve as a constant reminder of his current lacking relationship status.

Baekhyun doesn’t mind being alone though. It’s hard enough finding time for himself with a job that requires so much of his focus, he can barely manage to keep his flat from looking like a trainwreck. If anyone were to see the stack of dirty dishes currently piled in his sink and overflowing onto the countertop, he’s pretty certain they would begin to question his daily hygiene.

Ignoring the travesty, Baekhyun pads toward his kitchen fingering at the collar of his fitted white button-down. The garment feels suffocating after countless hours of wear. He fetches a stemless wine glass out of the cupboard, setting it on the island behind him as he reaches down to pull his favorite bottle of moscato out of the rack. _Pink Zebra_. He could down the whole thing honestly, but he has to revise a budget later to send to a potential buyer and being piss drunk probably isn’t the best idea.

He pours half a glass and takes a swig, letting the taste of berries and orange zest settle on his tongue. It’s delicious as always, but it would be a lot better chilled.

Baekhyun has never claimed to be a wine connoisseur, but he knows that putting ice in your wine is considered a faux pas and supposedly dilutes the flavor. Baekhyun also doesn’t give a shit, which is why he has no problem reaching into the freezer to snag a few ice cubes. As he closes the freezer door however, the brunet nearly drops the glass of alcohol when he spots an unwelcome visitor on the wall above the sink.

Now there are few things in life Byun Baekhyun cannot tolerate; people who refuse to use proper turn signals while driving, the smell and taste of cucumbers, and worst of all, bugs.

 _Of any kind_.

At least with poor drivers he can opt to use the train or even walk if he’s feeling particularly ambitious, and avoiding the offensive green vegetable isn’t too difficult, but there’s just no humanly possible way to escape from insects and that thought alone makes his skin crawl. It also doesn’t help that the multi-legged little pests make the brunet scream louder than a woman being mugged for her purse, which is exactly what happens as he lets out a rather comical shriek, fully backing his body into the granite counter behind.

There is a spider that appears to be the size of his palm and he swears the damned thing is staring right at him, but his perception may also be slightly skewed given his current terror and lack of sleep. _Only slightly_.

After safely setting his drink down and trying to locate the nearest spray bottle of any kind (there is no way in hell he can risk that thing touching him, so his go-to method has always been to drown them), Baekhyun realizes he really _is_ terrible at cleaning for all he can manage to find is a bottle of Windex he has had since he moved in almost two years ago.

With a deathgrip on the handle he takes aim at the eight-legged imposter, but right before he’s about to pull the trigger the spider starts crawling up toward the ceiling.

“YAH! Don’t come any closer you _Monster_!” The young salesman shouts as if the little nuisance can understand his sudden outcry.

Baekhyun clutches his heart and begins taking steady breaths as he attempts to talk himself into a calmer state. Heartbeat already running rampant, an abrupt knock on the door forces a yelp out of the brunet and Baekhyun is convinced he’s going to have a stroke at twenty-five years old.

“Hello, are you alright in there?” A hoarse voice calls out and the knocking continues.

Baekhyun shuffles over to his front doorway still equipped with his lethal weapon in hand. Feeling slightly embarrassed at the situation, he expects to open the door to the nosy ahjussi from down the hall. For some reason the old man, _Mr. Lee_ , thinks Baekhyun needs constant checking up on since he is a “young bachelor living alone with no pretty wife to take care of him.”

What Baekhyun does _not_ expect, is to gander up at a towering young man in a _way_ -too-tight black wife beater with a questionable perm and an obvious look of concern in his furrowed brows.

“Can I help you?” Baekhyun questions.

The man takes a deep breath before he speaks, visibly exasperated.

“Yeah, I was going to ask you the same thing.” He then motions over his shoulder, “I heard shouting from my apartment next door and I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

Baekhyun is too busy regarding the sweat pants sitting awfully low on the guy’s lean waist before noticing that his other hand is gripping a _baseball bat_.

The taller continues, “It sounded pretty serious.”

“ _Oh_.” Baekhyun didn’t realize he was being that loud. “Umm, sorry about that.” He feels himself blush a little and coughs into his fist as a distraction. “I was actually trying to kill this enormous spider on my wall and-”

“With a bottle of Windex?” The man raises an eyebrow and gestures toward the product in question.

Baekhyun glances down at the cleaner before his eyes travel back up to the stranger who looks nothing but confused.

“Yeah?”

An awkward silence ensues before the man lets out a snort, quickly biting his lip in an attempt to mask his laughter. The brunet refuses to be humiliated though. _Who was this guy_?

“Hey, some people prefer spraying to squashing,” Baekhyun quips with an indignant pout. “And what’s with the bat?”

“Well it sounded like you were in trouble and it was the first thing I grabbed before I ran out the door. I thought I was going to have to fight off a captor or a crazy ex-girlfriend or something. If I knew it was only a little bug I would have went with something less...destructive.”

Then he smirks with a teasing glint in his almond-shaped eyes and it infuriates Baekhyun because this guy is a total stranger and has the audacity to poke fun at him in the shorter’s time of distress.

“I’m Park Chanyeol by the way,” he offers a hand. “I’m your new neighbor.”

The brunet settles on being cordial and shakes his hand, noting that his fingers are completely engulfed by Chanyeol’s much larger ones. “Byun Baekhyun.”

“So where’s this _enormous spider_ at? Maybe I can still offer my services.”

“No it’s okay, I think I can handle it.”

“From the sounds of things, I would say you need some assistance,” the taller man chides.

Baekhyun hates to admit defeat, but Chanyeol is giving him this imploring, almost reassuring look and the brunet cannot find a sound reason to turn him down.

“Fine. Follow me.”

The small salesman leads his new neighbor inside, suddenly feeling very conscious of the current state of his home.

If given regular upkeep, the flat is unquestionably chic with its clean lines, neutral colors and spacious design. Baekhyun has expensive taste, but he never cared for the ornate and lavish decor that some use as a means to flaunt their wealth. Instead he opts for simple, sleek and functional.

“Nice place.”

Chanyeol is currently ogling at the living area where a substantial flat screen hangs above the slated fireplace. Baekhyun has yet to use the thing, too afraid he’ll burn the building down. Across from the television sits a large glass coffee table that is surrounded on three sides by the massive white-leather sectional and Baekhyun’s favorite cozy recliner.

The short brunet reaches a delicate hand up to nervously scratch at the back of his neck. “Thanks, it’s a mess actually. Hopefully one of these days I’ll get some time to clean.”

“If you think this is messy I’d hate for you to see my place. I can barely make it from my bedroom to the front door without tripping over boxes.”

Baekhyun smiles to himself, imagining the taller struggling to coordinate his overly long legs around a bunch of clutter.

Chanyeol notices.

“What?” He simpers, lips pulling to reveal a noticeable dimple in his cheek. Despite the nest of tangled black curls resting atop his head, the man is genuinely very handsome.

“Nothing,” The smaller quickly dismisses, heading toward the kitchen. “Are you gonna kill this thing or what?” He calls over his shoulder.

Chanyeol follows, leaning the bat against the base of the island and peering over at the wall in question. When he spots the little vermin still positioned near the ceiling above the sink, it takes everything in him not to break down in boisterous laughter.

The spider is maybe the size of a Coke bottle cap. _Maybe_.

Snickering, the giant glances back at Baekhyun who looks far from amused, still tightly gripping his bottle of Windex.

“Do you have a tupperware container and a thin piece of cardboard you don’t really care about?”

Baekhyun is mildly puzzled at the request, but decides now is not the time to question the man.

“Uh...I’m sure I can find some.”

A few minutes later the brunet is handing over the retrieved items to the taller, taking several steps back as he keeps his eyes glued to the bothersome pest. Chanyeol has moved a barstool over to the counter, currently standing on the seat and dwarfing Baekhyun even more than he already was on his feet. He carefully reaches up, plastic container in one hand and the birthday card Baekhyun received from his parents in the other. _It was all the shorter could find in a timely manner, removing it from the magnet on the refrigerator_.

Chanyeol slowly begins closing in on the spider, hovering the tupperware over its body for mere seconds before swiftly entrapping it underneath. Baekhyun flinches at the impact.

“Gotcha!” The giant proudly declares, sliding the cardstock between the wall and the rim of the container as the bug tries to escape with no success. He cautiously brings his hands down, careful not to separate the two objects as he climbs off of the stool. Then he turns toward the smaller, clearly pleased as he steps forward to display his feat.

“YAH!” Baekhyun howls, quickly aiming his bottle at the man in self-defense.

Chanyeol draws back ready to scold the other man for the hasty action. But then he sees how shaken the shorter looks, small eyes blown wide and breathing rampant, and an immediate sense of sympathy washes over him.

“Are you really that scared of this little guy?” He asks with a fond smile.

Baekhyun lowers his arm, small pout forming on his pink lips as he nods.

The tall man feels a slight pang of guilt in his chest as he realizes he probably terrified the small brunet and decides it’s probably best to get rid of the little pest once and for all.

“I’m sorry for scaring you. You must really hate spiders, huh?”

“Bugs. I just really hate bugs.”

Chanyeol chuckles a bit at how offended Baekhyun looks, and it’s cute really. Who knew a grown man could be so afraid of something so tiny? He finds the whole thing endearing though, and vows to protect his new neighbor from any more evil intruders.

“Well I’m gonna take this little guy outside now. Let me know the next time you need my services and I’ll be right over.”

“Hopefully it won’t be often…” Baekhyun replies before realizing how that actually sounded. “I mean I hope there won’t be more bugs in here, not that I don’t want you over. Thank you for your help, really.”

Chanyeol notices the shorter’s cheeks flush a soft pink and he can’t help the urge to be playful. “Next time it’ll cost you dinner,” he winks as he makes his way toward the door, not forgetting to grab his baseball bat on the way.

“We’ll see.” Baekhyun opens his door to let the man out. “Thanks again, Chanyeol.”

“No problem. Nice meeting you Baekhyun, have a good night.” The taller smiles one last time.

And then he’s gone.

 

 

 

For reasons he can’t explain, Baekhyun still feels a little breathless when he climbs into bed that night. He convinces himself it’s from all the earlier commotion, and has nothing to do with a certain stranger with unruly hair who came to Baekhyun’s rescue.

He closes his eyes and soon drifts into a sound sleep, dreaming of his favorite superhero saving a poor damsel in distress.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The next time Baekhyun sees his new neighbor he finds himself in another unfortunate predicament, only this time it isn’t due to an unwelcome pest.

Instead, the brunet is in the midst of doing his Sunday squats in the apartment complex’s gym when he peers into the mirror across from the Smith machine and notices a new occupant watching him from behind. When the two finally make eye contact through the reflection, Baekhyun is mid-squat and suddenly baffled at how blatantly the other man is staring at his ass.

“You know it’s rude to stare.”

The taller finally steps forward, towel around his neck and water bottle filled with what looks to be pre-workout in hand. He’s still wearing a tank that is way too damned tight, displaying his broad chest and firm abdomen through the thin fabric. Long legs are visible under the Adidas running shorts he’s currently sporting and his raven nest of hair is hidden beneath a backwards cap.

“Sorry I was just watching your technique,” Chanyeol grins, showing zero shame as he approaches the short male. “I don’t usually see men working out their glutes so thoroughly.”

He watches as the young salesman bends down for another rep, delicate hands tightly gripping the barbell with a contradicting grace.

“Yeah I can tell,” Baekhyun eyes the man’s nonexistent behind.

Chanyeol gasps at the remark.

“I’m insulted.”

“I’m just saying.” The shorter smirks, continuing the exercise with ease. “And it’s not only for the glutes by the way, my thighs appreciate the workout too.”

“So do I.”

Baekhyun does his best to ignore the remark as he squats again, though internally he wants to scream at how forward his neighbor is being. Chanyeol must either be very frank about what he thinks, or takes pleasure in drawing reactions from people. Since the man doesn’t exactly come across as a _total_ douchebag, Baekhyun decides to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Wow,” he rasps as sweat continues to drip along his hairline. “Do you come here to seduce the patrons of the gym?”

The small brunet finishes the last rep before racking the weight, feeling a little winded. He reaches for his bottle of water and takes a swig, observing the tall man in question.

“I’m actually here to lift,” Chanyeol nods in the direction of the dumbbells. “Someone’s gotta protect the people from all those creepy-crawlies we have lurking around here...”

Baekhyun flushes, ready to blame the sudden heat in his cheeks on the vigorous workout. “Funny,” he side-eyes the man.

“And just a small word of advice,” Chanyeol pauses briefly to chug some of his drink. “You’ll get way more out of squatting with free weights than you will on the Smith machine.”

“Well thank you for the suggestion, but it seems to be working just fine.” Baekhyun doesn’t need to be schooled on squats from a guy who looks like he has zero ounces of meat on his scrawny legs.

“Free weights help build your core strength too,” he points in the direction of Baekhyun’s abdomen.

“Are you criticizing my abs?” Baekhyun asks indignantly.

“Not at all.”

His neighbor grabs the forties, smug smile glued in place as he begins his bicep curls and making the shorter feel like he’s watching a fitness competition with how cut the man’s arms are. Baekhyun likes to consider his _own_ body pretty fit, in fact he’s been recently focusing on toning the muscles of his stomach, but seeing the way Chanyeol’s entire upper body flexes makes him want to reconsider his workout regiment. The guy is hot, there's no doubt about it.

“Umm,” Chanyeol grunts out as his muscles contract, causing Baekhyun to wet his suddenly dry lips. “--do you need me to take care of that?”

The brunet furrows his brows in utter confusion as the man continues looking at him with an imploring gaze like Baekhyun is supposed to know what he’s referring to.

“Take care of what?”

Chanyeol bites his bottom lip in a lousy attempt to keep from laughing as he continues gaping at the man before him.

Baekhyun begins to feel the weight of the taller’s stare and suddenly feels self conscious as he glances down at his own body, wondering if he is being made the butt of a stupid joke. _My shoes are tied, my clothes are on...just sweaty and probably don’t smell pleasant…_  
  
He’s ready to ask Chanyeol ‘what the hell’ when he hears it.

_Bzzt._

As if he heard a gunshot sound, Baekhyun whips his head around determined to locate the telltale buzzing.

_Bzzzt._

“YAH!” The shorter male shouts, frantically swatting at his sweat-dampened hair before aggressively brushing his shoulders with determination. “Is it on me?!!”

Chanyeol is visibly on the verge of hysteria watching the small brunet’s unfortunate struggle and decides to lend a hand before the guy goes into a total panic. He moves to set the weights on the ground and takes a step toward the mosquito that chose to wreak its havoc on poor Baekhyun.

“ _Get it!_ ”

“Hold still for a minute,” Chanyeol titters, placing a rough palm on Baekhyun’s bare shoulder to keep him from flailing. Baekhyun feels his skin ignite under the heat of the man’s fingertips. “I’m trying to catch it.”

Thinking quick on his feet, Chanyeol pulls his snapback off revealing matted clumps of raven curls and waves it in the direction of the flying insect. When the pestering little bloodsucker lands inside the cap, he quickly covers it with a large hand giving it no chance of escape.

“Got it.”

Baekhyun tries to catch his breath for a moment before speaking. In the meantime, his neighbor heads toward the exit door to let the mosquito live another day. When Chanyeol returns, a large smile begins to spread along his lips.

“What...” Baekhyun quips.

“Nothing.” The man continues grinning at him and it’s not fair; Not only is his body a solid ten but his smile is gorgeous too. It’s infuriating, really.

“I told you I hate bugs. And you know those things carry diseases and—”

“ _Shhh_ ,” Chanyeol shushes him. “It’s okay Baekhyun, you don’t owe me an explanation.”

He steps closer to the flustered brunet, a teasing glint evident in his features.

“But that dinner deal we made…”

“ _We_ made?” Baekhyun narrows small eyes. “Pretty sure I said ‘We’ll see’ but I made no promises.”

“Hey I think I earned it,” Chanyeol frowns, placing firm hands against narrow hips. The new position pulls his chest and arms taut, giving way to rigid lines and lean muscle. “I mean I _did_ save you. _Twice_.”

Trying his best to remain unfazed at the six foot tall modelesque man pouting before him, Baekhyun takes a steadying breath to calm his nerves.

“How about I give you my number,” Chanyeol suggests. “We can figure out the rest later.”

Baekhyun honestly can’t find the will to say no when the giant is giving him the puppy-dog eyes, momentarily inducing a gentle stammering inside his chest. He feels _weak_ , like he could melt right to the floor and seep into every crevice.  
_  
_ “L-let me grab my phone...”

  
  


After agreeing to accept Chanyeol’s phone number, Baekhyun decides he’s had enough excitement for one evening. He quickly says his goodbyes and leaves the man to his workout, exiting the gym before he can embarrass himself any further.

 _And you wonder why you’re terminally single_ , he thinks aloud once inside the elevator.

Maybe dinner isn’t such a terrible idea after all.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Thursday is turning out to be a rather promising day for Baekhyun, something that doesn’t seem to come around too often for the young salesman.

For starters, his favorite macchiato flavor finally returned to Starbucks, and that alone would be reason enough to celebrate. Baekhyun doesn’t mess around when it comes to his morning coffee, _he’s not a certified Gold Member at the popular coffeehouse chain for nothing_.

Secondly, he just sold a thirty-seven thousand dollar kitchen remodel to a reasonably nice older couple, which is not only going to earn him some kickass commission, but also a nice pat on the back from his corporate boss.

Given the success of the day’s happenings, Baekhyun is feeling uncharacteristically joyful as he sits in his office and contemplates ways to celebrate his good fortune. Maybe his friend and fellow coworker, Jongdae, wants to grab a bite to eat and possibly a drink afterwards. He shoots him a text to find out.

  
  
  


[ **To:** Kim Jongdae]  
_Wyd loser_

  
  
  


They have such a pleasant way of communicating with one another, but it works. He and Jongdae are actually the same age, but Baekhyun swears he has years of maturity on the other, seeing as Jongdae still likes to roll into work on the occasional Friday not even trying to hide a hangover after going out for _Thirsty Thursday_. And the fact that he laughed his ass off when Baekhyun sent an email to the wrong client, thanking them for their purchase and kindly asking for recommendations when in reality the person he accidentally sent it to had pretty much told his company to “shove their quote up their ass” two weeks prior. _Baekhyun had been mortified_.

Not even a minute after sending the the message, he gets a reply.

  
  
  


[ **From:** Kim Jongdae]  
_About to put contracts tgt for a job Minseok and I are selling in the morning_  
Lemme guess  
Ur hungry

  
  
  


[ **To:** Kim Jongdae]  
_I want food ㅠㅠ_

  
  
  


[ **From:** Kim Jongdae]  
_Sorry man, I’m gonna be up pretty late tonight finishing this up  
Rain check?_

  
  
  


[ **To:** Kim Jongdae]  
_You’re the worst ㄱ_ㄱ_

  
  
  


[ **From:** Kim Jongdae]  
_< 333_

  
  
  


Well so much for that idea.

Baekhyun has quite a few acquaintances, but he can probably count on one hand how many people he would call his _friends_. Jongdae and his project coordinator Minseok, are about the closest two friends he has, and they’re both busy. _Of course_.

He mindlessly continues scrolling through his contacts, shaking his head at all of the people he definitely doesn’t want to talk to, until he comes to a name that suddenly makes his heart beat just a _little_ bit faster. Realizing he hasn’t seen his neighbor since their encounter at the gym, and feeling uncharacteristically brave, Baekhyun decides _YOLO_ and sends the man a message.

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Hey it’s Baekhyun_

  
  
  


As soon as he sets the phone back down, he immediately feels anxious about the text. _What if he’s busy? What if he’s with someone else? What if he was just being nice when he offered his number?_ Maybe Chanyeol is just a friendly guy but never really intended on hanging out with Baekhyun…

It isn’t until the device buzzes a few moments later that he begins to settle his racing thoughts. His heart on the other hand, has a mind of its own.

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Hi Baekhyun :)_

  
  
  


The message is simple. But while he glances down at his phone screen, the corners of Baekhyun’s lips pull ever-so-slightly as he smiles at the little emoji. It’s such a small thing, and he’s probably reading too much into it, but it encourages him to proceed.

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_So about dinner, do you have plans later?_

  
  
  


Almost instantly, Baekhyun sees his neighbor typing before he gets the notification, though he is not quite prepared for the response he gets.

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Hmm...depends what’s on the menu ;)_

  
  
  
The asshole even put a _winky-face_. Baekhyun wants to scream, this is not at all what he signed up for. Refusing to let his mind drift to all of the possibilities that Chanyeol _could_ have meant by the ambiguous message, he decides to play it off and instead opts for being the little sass that he is.  
  
  


  
[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_I mean I was just gonna grab food on the way home_

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Awe I was hoping you were gonna cook sth nice for me ㅠ_ㅠ  
I did save you and all_

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_You also insinuated I need to work on my abs  
>:[_

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_No! I said the weights would strengthen your core~  
You know what else helps with that?_

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_What..._

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_A nice home cooked meal ^^_

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Omg  
If I cook then I have to clean my kitchen first  
Which will take forever_

  
  
  


The brunet isn’t really lying about how long it will take to tidy the place up, but he is leaving out _one_ small part to his reluctance; Baekhyun isn’t exactly the best _cook_. Like, he can make rice (in a rice cooker of course), he can sauté meat and vegetables in a pan, and he can cook noodles if provided with directions on the package. That’s about as extensive as his culinary skill gets. _Oh_ , and he can make eggs too, but only if they’re scrambled or if you want a deformed omelette because to hell if he can ever get _that_ right. He’s kind of hopeless in the kitchen, _which probably contributes to Mr. and Mrs. Lee feeling sorry for him on a weekly basis with the amount of takeout he orders._

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_I can wait :)_

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Seriously…_

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Mhmm._

  
  
  


Well _fuck_. So much for trying to whine his way out of this, the giant is persistent. Baekhyun can’t deny it though, he kinda likes how Chanyeol won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Fine I’ll cook you sth  
But it’ll have to be tomorrow  
It’s gonna take hours to clean ㄱ_ㄱ_

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Sounds good I’m free tomorrow too ;)_

  
  
  


This guy is too easy to please. And he really needs to stop it with the damned winky-faces, Baekhyun feels like he’s in primary school again with how stupidly nervous it’s making him and it’s absolutely ridiculous. _You are twenty-five years old_ , he grumbles while trying to school his emotions and come up with a time to meet.

  
  
  


[ **To:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Alright cool  
See you at 7?_

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Can’t wait~~~_

  
  
  


With a sudden dread at not only the idea of cleaning all night but also having to cook tomorrow, Baekhyun decides to call it quits on work for the day so he can get a head start on his eminent doom. All he wanted was some companionship while grabbing a bite to eat and now he’s faced with the task of actually preparing something for someone, and of course that someone also happens to be his attractive new neighbor.

He makes a mental note to stop at his favorite market on the way home; they have a stall that sells various assortments of pasta that he’s always wanted to try, but until now had no one to cook it for. Baekhyun also makes a note to grab some more cleaning products while he’s out, probably a sixer of beer and some chicken wings too while he’s at it. It’s gonna be a long night ahead, he might as well make the most of it.

So much for his promising day.

  
  
  
  
  
  


It’s a quarter to seven and Baekhyun is about to say _fuck it_.

The water is taking too long to boil, the baguette is still sitting on the counter uncut, and the colander is nowhere to be found. In fact, he’s not sure if he’s ever actually used the thing, which means it could be literally _anywhere_.

“Fantastic”, he thinks as he rummages through the cupboards, finding all sorts of hidden treasures buried within them, one of which being the ceramic baking dish his mother sent home with him last Chuseok that he has yet to return. She’d come after him if she realized he still has it, especially since he told her he had no idea what she was talking about the last time she asked. Baekhyun is very organized when it comes to his work, but outside of that the man is lucky to remember to tie his own shoes every morning, let alone keep track of various cookware he never uses.

“Ah ha!” Baekhyun hollers as he pulls the plastic strainer out from under the stack of brand new, unused mixing bowls. “I knew I had one of these things.”

He sets the device in the sink and turns back toward the stove, checking the water and seeing the bubbles finally bursting at the top and decides it’s time to finally pour the stuffed tortellini in the pot to cook. Right before he dumps the noodles in, Baekhyun suddenly remembers being told by the auntie at the market to sprinkle some salt and a cap full of oil into the water so the pasta don’t burst open when they collide.

“It’s cool I got this,” he assures himself as he grabs the salt shaker.

Once he gets the noodles in and stirred, Baekhyun pads to the refrigerator and pulls out the garlic butter and a bag of mozzarella shredded cheese, setting the products on the counter beside the bread that he still needs to slice. _Why is cooking so much work_? There’s a reason the young salesman is a regular customer at the Soboru chicken joint just down the block. This is way too involved.

As he begins to slice the baguette and set the pieces on a baking sheet, the doorbell rings and sends the short brunet into a sudden panic. He shoots a quick glance at the clock which reads _7:01_ and curses under his breath. Not only is dinner not ready, but he didn’t even have time to freshen up a bit before welcoming his new guest. Instead he’s still in a pair of work slacks and a wrinkled, half-buttoned dress shirt from another busy day at the office.

Scatter-brained and feeling totally unprepared, Baekhyun scurries to the door to let the man in.

“Hi,” Chanyeol smiles when the door opens, hands stuffed in his pockets and looking all too happy for their _dinner date_. His curly hair looks styled a bit and he’s wearing just a simple white t-shirt and jeans, but Baekhyun swears the guy could make a cheap rug look good.

“Hey, sorry I’m running a little late. It should be ready here shortly.”

The taller shrugs, small dimple appearing on his cheek as he purses his lips. “It’s alright, just promise you’re not gonna stab me with that.” He sends a nod toward Baekhyun’s right hand.

“Huh?” Baekhyun replies, puzzled, before he looks down and notices his fingers still clutching the butter knife. “Oh,” he titters, nerves curling in his stomach. “My bad.”

 _Holding questionable objects is starting to be a frequent occurrence between the two_.

Baekhyun steps aside to let his neighbor in, closing the door behind him and scrambling back to the kitchen to finish dinner. While he begins frantically spreading butter and sprinkling cheese on the bread slices before they go in the oven, he looks over and sees the giant leaning against the island, spying on the contents cooking from afar.

“What?” he quips, suddenly feeling like he’s being examined.

Chanyeol shakes his head. “Nothing, just enjoying the view,” He responds smugly, but his eyebrows furrow just the slightest, as if in deep concentration of whatever is going on atop the stove.

“Well quit.” Baekhyun whines. _You’re making me nervous_.

“It’s just…” Chanyeol drawls, biting his lip. “Are you sure you let that water reach a boil before you put those in there?”

Baekhyun opens the oven, sticking the pan of bread inside and trying not to burn himself in the process.

“Yes, I know how to boil water,” he says sardonically. _I’m not_ that _bad at cooking._  
  
“Right, but…” The taller hesitates for a moment, tapping his large fingers on the counter. “--did you let it reach a rolling boil before you poured the pasta in and make sure to _keep it_ rolling before you turned the temperature down?”

Chanyeol meanders over to the smaller male, peeking over his shoulder at the pot of noodles. He’s standing too close now, puffs of breath tingling the skin of Baekhyun’s nape and momentarily drawing his focus away from the question at hand. “It kinda looks like you may have turned the temp down too early so the water’s not cooking the noodles right. I could be wrong though.”

Baekhyun is trying to get a grasp on the situation but instinctively shivers as the man continues to linger behind him. His stomach is in knots, and he’s not quite sure if it’s from his neighbor’s sudden proximity or the realization that he probably screwed dinner up before it even started. The sauce is warming in a pan, but the pasta all seems to be sitting at the bottom of the pot. Baffled, he tries to stir the noodles to keep them from sticking until one breaks apart and the meat begins seeping out of the middle.

“Oh my god, I don’t understand what’s happening...” The brunet throws his hands in the air, struggling to try and salvage the pasta and about ready to just give up.

“Here, let me help you for a minute.”

Baekhyun reluctantly scoots over, huffing as Chanyeol grabs the ladle and turns the temperature back up on the burner. The giant sifts through the water and begins pulling out some of the broken tortellini. It looks like questionable stew you find in a school cafeteria.

“It’s ruined. I give up,” Baekhyun grumbles as his cheeks flush with embarrassment. _Of course this would happen_ , he thinks. Unexpectedly, his eyes start to well up and he turns his cheek, refusing to let his neighbor see him upset over something so stupid.

“It’s not ruined, most of it is still good actually. Here, look.” Chanyeol peers over at the short brunet, pointing at the remaining noodles before he notices the glassy sheen in his small downturned eyes.

“Baekhyun, really, it’s okay.” He softens his gaze as he sees the other trying really hard to restrain himself, pink bottom lip tucked in to keep it from quivering.

Baekhyun is mortified at this point. As if running late preparing the meal while looking like a _hot mess_ isn’t embarrassing enough, now he’s completely humiliating himself in front of Chanyeol because he doesn’t know how to cook some _goddamn_ noodles. Any normal person would consider it a simple mishap and just laugh it off, but as a chronic perfectionist, even the smallest of mistakes feel like a personal failure and Baekhyun wants to cry.

He peeks up at the giant who has turned back to the pot on the stove, diligently trying to save the pasta, and he wonders how many times this guy is going to come to his rescue.

“I’m sorry this didn’t go as planned...” Baekhyun mumbles just barely for the other to hear, eyes glued to the counter.

“No worries,” Chanyeol replies coolly, lifting the pot off the burner and dumping the contents into the colander resting in the sink. “Stuffed noodles are a little harder to work with, if you’ve never done it before it can be kinda tricky. Don’t sweat it.”

He turns back momentarily to glance at the disheartened brunet, and the look of reassurance present in his warm brown eyes is so genuine that Baekhyun feels the oncoming prickling of tears making their return. _Don’t do this_ , he internally pleads as the sudden fluttering in his stomach makes an appearance, catching him off guard. He reaches a hand up to fan some air at his face, the flush of his cheeks becoming unbearable.

“You alright?” Chanyeol quirks a brow, sincere gaze still fixed on the shorter male.

“Yeah, it’s just hot in here.” _And you’re not helping._

“Sorry, I tend to have that effect on people,” his lips curl mischievously. Baekhyun chooses to ignore the remark, continuing to fan himself.  
_  
_ After straining all of the water from the tortellini, Chanyeol pours the noodles into the saucepan with the pesto and begins to stir the mixture. A few moments later, the oven dings signalling the bread is done.

“Ah, I almost forgot the bread was in there.” He chuckles a bit, reaching for the pot warmer and pulling the pan of fresh cheesy-bread out of the oven. He sets the pan on the island counter in front of Baekhyun, then grabs a piece and takes a whiff, face animated as he speaks. “Mmm, it smells amazing. I hope the chef won’t mind if I eat it all~”

The guy is clearly trying to cheer Baekhyun up, and the young salesman can't help but crack the tiniest of smiles at how sweet the gesture is.

 

When the food is finally ready to eat, Baekhyun busies himself with pulling out the dishes and placing utensils out on the island where a couple of cushioned barstools rest. At the moment he’s thankful for his lack of a dining table which would force them into sitting directly across from each other and having the man see how flustered he still is.

“Here, let me have your plate.” Chanyeol extends a hand, looking rather pleased holding the serving spoon.

“I got it, you’ve done enough already,” Baekhyun waves him off as he pads back around to the stove. “Go have a seat.”

“Yes chef,” The taller smiles, shaking his head as he does just that.

  
  
  


Dinner itself goes rather well, Baekhyun deciding the pasta turned out pretty damn good despite the fiasco. He finds the ease in conversation progressing as the night goes on, his now half-empty glass of wine playing a small role on its own. He also finds himself gravitating towards Chanyeol the more the man speaks in that deep soothing voice so passionately, the more he leans in closer when it’s Baekhyun’s turn to talk, the more he wholeheartedly _laughs_ at the smaller’s lame attempt at humor. It’s comforting, to talk and feel like someone is really listening and enjoying your company. Baekhyun realizes he hasn’t felt this way in quite some time.

He learns that Chanyeol is a grad student at _SNU_ trying to get his master’s in music composition and also works part-time at a bookstore.

“Music, huh?” Baekhyun simpers, finding himself intrigued at the new piece of information. “I don’t think I would have guessed that.”

The taller knocks back the remainder of his wine, grinning proudly as he sets the glass back on the counter. “Yep. If you’re lucky I might let you take a listen sometime,” he winks.

Baekhyun rolls his eyes at the gesture, hiding his smile behind the rim of his own glass.

He also learns they both share a mutual love for gaming, to which Baekhyun challenges the man in an _Overwatch_ match, demanding he put his skills to the test. Chanyeol concedes looking overly confident at the request, but little does he know, Baekhyun isn’t already ranked a _Master_ in the new season for nothing.

“Who’s your _go-to_ main character? That’s how I know if you’re actually any good.”

Chanyeol narrows his eyes at the shorter. “Bastion. You?”

“ _Bastion_?!” Baekhyun gawks. “I would’ve at least assumed Lúcio given the whole music thing, I should have known you couldn’t be trusted,” he shakes his head in disbelief. “I bet you only like him for the new buff, which is stupid by the way. They made him way too strong again.”

“You mean he’s finally a threat now, but it’s not like it’s impossible to kill him.” The taller defends, standing with his empty plate in hand and reaching for Baekhyun’s before heading to the sink. “But lemme guess, you’re tiny so you probably go with someone like Reinhardt to compensate and get your fix.”

“Yah, how _dare_ you.” The brunet protests, offended at the accusation as well as the insult on his height.

Chanyeol returns to his seat, smirking as he leans in still awaiting an answer. “I’m right aren’t I?”

“No.” _Maybe_.

“Mhmm.” His large eyes are twinkling with mirth and Baekhyun wants to bury his head in a pillow with the way his cheeks are surely flushed again.

Another hour goes by until Chanyeol informs him that he has a morning shift at the bookstore so he’s gonna have to wrap up their _dinner date_ for the night.

“I wasn’t aware this was a date.” Baekhyun retorts as he accompanies his neighbor to the door.

(Can you call it a date if you’re returning a favor?)

“It can be whatever you want,” Chanyeol shrugs, leaning his shoulder against the door frame. There’s a tiny sauce stain on the sleeve of his white shirt and Baekhyun feels a bit relieved knowing that the man has some sort of flaw to his otherwise perfect self.

“Thank you for dinner though, Baekhyun,” he smiles down at said man with that cursed dimple again.  
_  
Stop doing that._ “I should be thanking you actually.”

“How about you buy me a drink tomorrow night and we call it even?” Chanyeol chews on his bottom lip, eyes hopeful.

“Alright, deal.” Baekhyun blinks up the giant, accepting the invitation to see him again. “Where are we going?”

Chanyeol hums for a brief moment, “ _Cantina_ is pretty fun on a Saturday night. Be ready around 10?”

“Okay,” Baekhyun yawns, not even bothering to cover his mouth as the exhaustion of the day begins to take its toll on him.

Chanyeol chuckles at the cute action. “Go get some rest,” he rasps. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night,” Baekhyun replies sleepily, eyes starting to feel heavy.

“‘ _Night_.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


“This is as good as it’s getting,” Baekhyun sighs aloud after spending countless hours fussing with his hair and makeup, of course after changing his mind on what to wear at least four times. He’s not sure why he’s making such a big deal out of things anyway, they’re just going out to grab a few drinks, it’s not like the guy is taking him out on a date or anything. _This isn’t a date._

To be honest, Baekhyun isn’t even sure if Chanyeol is into men. It’s true that he gives off flirty vibes, but some guys just naturally exude charm and are secure and comfortable enough in their own skin that it comes as second nature. He has mistakenly assumed someone’s sexuality a few times before, so he hesitates to do the same with his neighbor, especially because as of right now he seems to be enjoying the taller’s company and doesn’t want to ruin that by making wrong assumptions. Right now, Baekhyun is just happy to have another friend.

(The fact that Chanyeol is good looking and overly generous adds a bit of challenge, however Baekhyun will choose to ignore that in favor of keeping the man around.)

It’s five minutes ‘til ten when he peeks at the clock on his phone and hurries over to his dresser, grabbing his favorite bottle of _Diptyque Do Son_ and spritzing the floral yet musky fragrance on the column of his neck and both wrists. He gives himself one last glance in the full length mirror resting in the corner, satisfied enough with result of his efforts, before flipping off all the light switches and heading out the front door.

Finally standing outside of Chanyeol’s apartment, Baekhyun takes a deep steadying breath to tame the somersaults flipping around in the pit of his stomach before extending a hand to give a few hard knocks. _Why are you so nervous,_ he wonders, trying to regain his composure.

He hears a muffled “ _Coming!_ ” and sticks his fidgeting hands in the back pockets of his acid washed skinny jeans, unsure what to do with them as he waits. When the door finally opens and Chanyeol steps out, Baekhyun has to suck in all the air his lungs can handle to try and slow his heart rate down as it thrashes around in his throat.

“Hey,” the taller smiles before peering at the phone screen in his hand. “I called the Uber, it should be here in a minute.” Baekhyun is too busy staring to offer a reply.

Black denim is hugging the man’s long legs, silver studs lined along the seams before tucking into leather boots, and he has on a thin black button-up with the the first three buttons undone revealing a peek of the sturdy chest lying below the fabric. What’s even more startling is the taller’s hair is no longer in a nest of curls but instead the raven locks have been combed in gentle waves, front bangs curling inward and resting against his smooth forehead. It makes his face look even more handsome, large almond eyes twinkling and Baekhyun is ready to throw in the towel already.

“Okay,” he eventually manages to choke out.

They head to the elevator, Baekhyun trailing a bit behind as he tries to dispel the nervousness and tell himself to _chill the fuck out_.

“You look nice,” Chanyeol says as he gives him a onceover, eyes remaining on the gaping tears of his tattered jeans a little too long before they climb back up to the brunet’s prominent collarbones, exposed by the deep v in his black t-shirt. Baekhyun swallows under the man’s flagrant ogling, eventually meeting his gaze and racking his brain for how to respond when the guy is smirking at him.

“Thanks, same to you,” is about all he can come up with causing Chanyeol to chuckle a little, a low rumble in his throat as he grins and presses the button for the lobby.

The Uber is already parked out front waiting for them, some sort of white SUV with an older gentleman driving. Chanyeol moves to open the door to the backseat but stops and looks at Baekhyun before climbing in. “Go ahead,” he nods.

Baekhyun hesitates a little before getting in, scooting all the way over so the other can take a seat. Once both are inside the vehicle, Chanyeol confirms their location with the driver before sitting back and smiling down at Baekhyun.

“This should be fun,” he beams.  
_  
I hope you’re right._

  
  


Once they arrive at _Cantina_ , Chanyeol thanks the driver before they hop out and step into the short line forming outside the gate of the building. The night air is a bit chilly for late April, slight breeze forming goosebumps on Baekhyun’s bare arms. Luckily they only wait for about ten minutes before security waves them in, quickly heading past the large patio area and weaving through throngs of people on the way inside. Saturday night is definitely the time to be here based on the heavy crowd.

Inside, Chanyeol directs them towards the main bar at the back, claiming the smaller bar on the patio _makes shitty drinks and charges the same price_. There’s a mob of bodies surrounding the wrap-around counter awaiting their turn to order so the taller gives Baekhyun a slight push forward, hand resting at the small of his back while he stands closely behind. The gentle press of his fingers is enough to send a shiver down Baekhyun’s spine, causing him to take a few steps in haste and accidentally bump into the girl in front of them. She glares over her shoulder at him, long blonde hair almost whipping him in the face as she swiftly turns back around, clearly irritated.  
_  
Like I did it on purpose_ , Baekhyun says under his breath as he glares back in her direction.

Chanyeol then moves to take the lead, grabbing the shorter by the hand and pulling him through the masses until they finally reach the bar and he lets go of his hold, looking a little winded in the process.

They stand there for several minutes without being acknowledged at all, the staff completely tied up with the amount of expectant patrons, bustling around from person to person trying to memorize their orders without running into each other as they carry several glasses at once. Baekhyun envies their skill, wondering how they manage to keep it all straight despite the chaos surrounding them. _Perhaps that’s why they are on that side of the counter and you are on this side_ , he thinks, faced with only the simple task of deciding what to drink. That reminds him...

“Since I’m buying, what do you want?” Baekhyun shouts through the cup of his hands, looking up at Chanyeol and struggling to be heard over the blasting club music and shrill mixture of voices.

Chanyeol doesn’t hesitate for a second, bending down and suddenly crossing the line of personal space as he presses his mouth against the brunet’s ear and rasps, “Rum and coke, please.” He pauses for a moment before adding, “You smell good, by the way.” After he leans back, Baekhyun notices the curl of the man’s plush lips and has to fight the heat currently spreading along his neck. _That was too, too close_. Thankfully one of the bartenders makes his way over then, eyeing the two of them expectantly as he waits for their order.

Baekhyun leans forward, “I’ll have a double cranberry vodka, and a rum and coke,” he calls across the counter.

“A _double_?” Chanyeol quips, surprised at the shorter’s request for a larger drink.

Baekhyun shrugs, blinking up at the man. “If we’re gonna be here a while I’d rather avoid waiting in that line as long as possible.”

“Good point.”

The bartender quickly returns with their drinks and asks if they want to start a tab. Baekhyun nods, sliding his wallet out of his pocket and pulling out his card, telling the man to put both drinks on it and to keep the tab open. Afterwards, they move to a small high-top table resting along the wall, trying to get away from the hysteria and actually be able to sit and enjoy themselves.

“So what do you think?” Chanyeol asks loudly before sipping at his cocktail, inquisitive eyes focused on the short brunet currently seated beside him as the thumping music continues to drown out everything else.

“Place seems pretty cool, though I admit I wasn't expecting it to be this packed, this is _insane_ ,” Baekhyun shakes in head in disbelief. He then takes a gulp of his own mixed drink, convincing himself that the more he downs the faster he’ll loosen up and maybe even enjoy the night out for once. It’s strong, stronger than he’s used to, the faint tartness of the cranberry almost completely masked by the bitterness of the cheap vodka making him wince as it settles on his tongue.

“ _Easy_ there, killer. We’ve got plenty of time before the bar closes, I’d rather not have to carry you outta here tonight.”

The image of Chanyeol holding him in his strong arms while he’s passed out against his chest briefly flashes in Baekhyun’s mind and he has to admit it doesn’t sound so bad, though he’s not sure that’s a road he wants to go down with his neighbor just yet. They’re not quite on that level of friendship, but who says he can’t have a little fun with the guy instead?

“What are you trying to say, that I’d be too heavy?” He narrows his eyes, small pink mouth forming its signature pout.

“Mmm- maybe,” Chanyeol smiles then. “I mean those glute muscles alone gotta pack some serious weight…”

“ _Yah_ ,” Baekhyun yaps, eyebrows furrowed as he takes another mouthful of of his drink. “You don’t have permission to talk about my assets.”

“Fine, so what _do_ I have permission to talk about with you?” He eyes the brunet behind the rim of his glass.

Baekhyun ponders for a moment, finally deciding to ask a question that’s been on his mind lately. “How about you tell me why you’re so fond of helping me. Do you feel _that_ bad for me?” _Am I that sorry?_  
  
Chanyeol falters for a moment, looking visibly surprised at the question before leaning back in his seat as he exhales and attempts to speak over the blaring sound system. “Believe it or not, I really do enjoy helping others, you’re no exception.” He chuckles a bit then, lips tugging as he smiles down at the drink in his hand. “My mother always told me and my sister while growing up, ‘ _One can only dance when the jangu drum is played_.’ Sometimes we need help, and we should never hesitate to offer it either.” He peers back up at Baekhyun, honey brown eyes shimmering and sincere as they hold the smaller’s gaze. “It probably sounds cheesy, but I like to think that I’m put in situations for a reason, you know?”

The answer is so honest that Baekhyun would be lying if he said he wasn’t fazed by it. Despite the typical _overly-confident male_ demeanor, Chanyeol is genuinely a really nice guy with what seems to be a really big heart. _The guy won’t even kill a bug for heaven’s sake_. Not only is he caring and considerate, but he looks like he just stepped off the front cover of a magazine and Baekhyun can’t seem to wrap his head around that. Still feeling a bit dumbfounded, he slowly nods in place of a response, contents of his glass disappearing by the second as he swallows the sweet red liquid along with any words once settled on his tongue.

“What, is my charm too much for you?” Chanyeol simpers, full bottom lip pulling between perfectly straight teeth as his whole face glows in the beams of multi-colored lights.

 _Nope, nevermind_ , Baekhyun tells himself, rolling his eyes as he lets out a snort at the man. “You’re infuriating, you know that?”

“Oh yeah, why’s that?”

The look of amusement on the taller’s ( _handsome_ ) face is enough to drive Baekhyun mad.

“Because you’re such a nice guy, but you’re so full of yourself. I don’t know whether to hate you or befriend you.”

“And here I thought we were friends…” Chanyeol frowns.

“I don’t know, I’m not sure I can be friends with someone who has the same hair as my _halmeoni_ AND likes _Bastion_ ,” Baekhyun smirks as the other looks offended at the remark. “That’s asking a lot of me.”

“Hey, my hair is fine. I even styled it nicely for you tonight.” He sulks, fingering at the ebony threads smoothly tucked behind cutely elfish ears.

 _I even styled it nicely for you tonight_. Baekhyun’s cheeks flush at the thought of the man getting all spruced up just to take him out for drinks, certain his face has to be red as a tomato from that and the fact his once-full glass of alcohol is now sitting empty on the table.

“Well it does look pretty good, I’ll give you that,” he manages.

Chanyeol takes a swig as he finishes off his own drink, confidence seemingly restored. “Thanks, so do you,” he winks, catching Baekhyun off guard once again. Standing, he reaches for the empty glasses before leaning in to speak directly into the shorter’s ear. “By the way, I’ve got the next round. I know it’ll be hard to fight them off but don’t let anyone take my seat, please.” Then he turns his back to the brunet and disappears into the crowd, though not entirely as he still stands a head taller than most.

 _Alright this guy is either hitting on me or trying to make a fool of me, and all I know is that I am not drunk enough to handle either one right now._ It really doesn’t take much. Baekhyun admits he’s somewhat of a lightweight when it comes to liquor, but give him a bottle of beer and he can handle his own pretty damn well. However, right now he can feel the tell-tale signs of being tipsy, slight fog to his vision as he watches a group of bodies grinding against one another on the dance floor across the room, sounds whirring together as he leans against the table to keep from swaying in his seat.

When his neighbor finally returns, Baekhyun looks up to see his large hands full with not only a double-well for each of them, but also two shots of some questionable bright blue liquid.

“What are those?” He yells over the booming bassline.

“ _Pokémon_ shots,” Chanyeol grins, clearly excited and looking all too pleased with his purchase. “The bartender recommended _Squirtle_ , they had _Charmander_ and _Bulbasaur_ too.” He hands Baekhyun his respective shot glass, the latter inspecting it as he takes a whiff.

“What’s in it?”

“No idea.” Chanyeol smirks, “Let’s find out.”

They both take hold of their glass, locking eyes for a brief moment before reaching out and clanking them once together, once against the table, then knocking them back.

When the liquid touches Baekhyun’s tongue, he tastes a combination of coconut and something fruity, and by the time it hits the back of his throat he can taste the vanilla spice of the rum. “That was good,” he nods, feeling pretty satisfied as he grabs his cocktail.

“You’re welcome.”

As they continue to drink, Baekhyun finally feels brave asking the taller man questions about himself, letting the alcohol ease the tension and loosen him up a little. He finds out Chanyeol is single, claiming he hasn’t had much interest in a relationship while trying to juggle his master’s degree, working at the bookstore and still having some time to himself. Though he does admit to going on a few dates here and there for _fun_ , he never makes it clear if these dates were strictly with women which has Baekhyun still wondering which way the guy swings, but he doesn’t have the nerve to outright ask.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol seems to be making it his mission to playfully tease the short brunet any chance he can get.

“So since you’re some bigshot sales guy, do you ever play your looks to your advantage?”

“What do you mean?” Baekhyun tilts his head, not sure what the guy is getting at and looking like a curious puppy in the process.

“I’m just saying, if you knocked on my door looking like _that_ ,” Chanyeol smirks, gesturing toward the low-hanging collar of Baekhyun’s v-neck. “I’d buy anything you’re selling, no questions asked...Unless it were a cat and then I’d have to say no ‘cause I’m allergic,” he adds.

 _Is he flirting with me?_ Baekhyun wonders as countless thoughts begin to ruminate in his head, eyelids feeling heavy despite the current weightlessness of his body. “Good thing I’m not a door-to-door salesman,” he mumbles in reply. “People schedule my appointments for me, I just show up and do the talking.” He then motions to stand up from his seat, deeming it time for _round three_ when his feet seem to have a mind of their own and he teeters a little before a solid arm reaches behind to stabilize him.

“ _Woah there_ ,” Chanyeol warns. “Maybe we should take a little break for a few minutes and grab you some water…” His hand is gripping the smaller’s waist as he looks on with concern.

“I’m good,” Baekhyun shakes his head, insisting he is capable of functioning _just fine_ right now. The taller eventually drops his hand and Baekhyun feels like he can breathe again. “Want anything while I’m up?”

Chanyeol appears to contemplate the question for a few seconds, fingertip carefully circling the rim of his glass as he hums aloud. “How about this,” he drawls, glancing suggestively at the smaller male. “-why don’t we continue this back at my place? I’ve got plenty of free booze, _and_ Wii _Mario Kart_. That’s an offer only a fool would pass up.”

Baekhyun considers the idea for a moment. It does sound better than standing in line to pay a fortune for drinks while watching obnoxiously intoxicated girls who think they’re _hot shit_ try to impress a bunch of douchey guys just looking for a hook-up. _Don’t give in so easily though, make him sweat it for a minute_. “You just think I’m drunk and don’t wanna carry me home,” he whines then, crossing his arms as he slightly wavers back and forth.

His neighbor smiles in response. “If you were drunk I’d be carrying you either way. We live right next to each other, remember?”

 _Well that’s true,_ Baekhyun thinks. “Fine, but only if I get to be Princess Peach,” he raises his chin up, firm in his demand. “I refuse to negotiate.”

Chanyeol only laughs, reaching into his pocket to grab his phone. “Deal. Go close your tab and I’ll call the Uber.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


The ride back to their apartment building feels like eternity, and when they finally pull up Baekhyun almost rips the door handle off trying to escape the backseat, earning him a not-so-nice glare from the driver. It’s not his fault the van smells like an entire carton of cigarettes and a bad mix of cheap cologne and Febreeze trying to mask the stench. He had to hold his breath for practically the whole trip, he just wants some fresh air.

After they make it inside the lobby, Baekhyun stumbles over to the elevator and begins pushing the button to the elevator over and over as Chanyeol stands by watching, clearly amused.

“I don’t think pushing it at rapid speed actually makes it come any faster,” he chuckles at the impatient brunet.

“Shh, yes it does.” As if right on cue, the doors open and Baekhyun makes a point to peek over his shoulder at Chanyeol, narrowing his eyes as he steps inside feeling victorious. “ _See_.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Chanyeol smiles, joining him in the the lift as he leans over and presses the correct number to their shared floor.

Baekhyun is too busy trying to keep his balance to pay much attention to anything else, but he feels a gentle hold on his forearm after a minute of teetering and when he looks up at the owner of said hand, he would almost _swear_ that his neighbor has that same fondness in his eyes he had the previous night and it makes the insides of his stomach flip.  
_  
Or maybe that’s just the vodka talking, I did drink more than usual._

They reach the fourteenth floor quickly enough and as they approach Chanyeol’s flat, the taller turns back to look at Baekhyun before unlocking the door. “Don’t expect too much,” he forewarns, finally turning the handle and reaching over to flick the light switch on as they step inside. “It’s nothing special.”

The place is definitely reflective of a typical college student, except it’s about ten times the size of the average dorm room. The layout is actually very similar to Baekhyun’s, though he’s pretty sure he has him beat on overall square footage. To the left is the kitchen area which unlike Baekhyun’s looks pretty clean minus a few plastic cups on the counter, and straight ahead is the living area complete with a single black couch, a couple of red bean bag chairs, and a flat screen sitting on a cheap entertainment stand with tangles of wires everywhere connecting to multiple gaming consoles. Some boxes are piled in various corners of the room and there’s no fireplace either, Baekhyun notes, but there’s a snowboard leaning against the wall where one would be that piques his interest. _So he’s adventurous, good to know_.

“Go ahead and take a seat,” Chanyeol ushers the shorter over to the couch. “I’ll get you something to drink. You know how to work the Wii, right?”

“Mhmm,” Baekhyun hums, deciding to collapse on a bean bag instead and feeling it sink underneath his weight as he sits down with the game remote, hoping he doesn’t have to try and stand up anytime soon. He points the remote at the television, attempting to pull Mario Kart up on the screen and struggling to get his hand and the device on the same page. _Come on you damn thing, help me out here_.

“Is beer okay?” Chanyeol calls from the kitchen. “Or do you want me to try and be creative?”

Not quite certain what that would entail and determining he’s had enough liquor already given the fact he can’t even figure out how to turn on a stupid video game, he settles on the former option. “Beer’s fine, thanks.”

Chanyeol returns a few minutes later with two cans of _Kloud_ and doesn’t hide his amusement when he sees the small salesman curled into the bean bag and pouting at the TV, snickering as he hands over the beer and plops down on the other bean bag beside him.

“You got it?” he offers, crossing his long legs to fit on the small piece of furniture.

Baekhyun huffs, ignoring the question as he continues to rotate his wrist for the umpteenth time trying to get the remote to connect with the console. _I swear this thing is broken_.

“Umm,” Chanyeol smiles, reaching his free hand over and grasping the remote along with Baekhyun’s fingers at the same time. “You’ve got it backwards,” he chuckles as he flips the device around and lets go of his grip to point at the TV. “Try it now.”

 _Oh_. It works.

When he finally gets the game turned on and the giant hunts down his second remote, Baekhyun shifts into _gamer mode_ , determined to show the man he can’t lose, especially not against a dumb tortoise in a game that’s all about speed.

“Only traitors race with _Koopa Troopa_ ,” Baekhyun states matter-of-factly as he prepares himself for takeoff, gripping the controller tight with one thumb hovering he A-button and the other pressing up on the joystick. “Where’s your loyalty to _Mario_?”

Chanyeol grins, leaning down to whisper in the other’s ear. “You just worry about your precious little _Peach_.”

Baekhyun can still smell the rum on his breath but it isn’t unpleasant, in fact he distracts himself with the thought of tasting it on his own tongue before he realizes what he’s doing and is startled by the man beside him cackling.

“HA! Take that, _Princess_!” Chanyeol shouts as his character surges forward on the trail, leaving the brunet beside him in total dismay.

Three matches go by with Baekhyun ending up in the bottom half of the ranks before he concludes that the game is rigged.

“This is dumb,” he gripes, tossing the controller on the floor beside his empty beercan. “And I gotta piss.” Attempting to stand, he tries pushing his weight off the bean bag with his hands and gets about halfway up before his arms give out and he collapses back into the bag. _I swear I’m not drunk, it’s the poor choice of furniture._

Chanyeol however finds the entire scene comical as he snorts at the struggling brunet but ultimately offers his hand as an anchor to pull the short male off his behind. “Bathroom is down the hall on the right,” he smiles up at said male while still seated comfortably. “Let me know if you need help with that too.”

He sends a wink at the end, making an already questionable statement even _more_ questionable, and Baekhyun is not even going to try and decipher the context behind it in his current _not_ -drunken state of mind.

Instead he sets out shuffling down the hallway, brushing his fingers against the empty white walls to keep himself upright before pushing through the first door he comes to. Lucky for him, it’s the correct one. He feels around for the lightswitch and after almost blinding himself with the _million watt_ bulbs above the vanity ( _who the fuck needs bulbs that bright?),_ Baekhyun finally makes it to the damned toilet. The problem now is that his pants are so tight and his coordination isn’t on par at the moment and he just wants to cry as he fumbles with the button on his jeans, eventually succeeding and feeling relief breaking the seal he somehow managed to contain all night.

“Finally,” he exhales, suddenly noticing what looks to be a huge stack of bubble tissues sitting in a woven basket near the shower. _Is this guy serious? My five year old niece uses those..._  
  
Baekhyun shakes his head in bewilderment as he moves to the sink and begins washing his hands, trying really hard to get a good look at his appearance in the mirror and shuttering at the reflection he gets in return. The kohl around his eyes is half smeared off, his once-styled hair has fallen completely flat and his cheeks are as flushed as the piss he just took. _Get yourself together._ He leans against the counter and takes a long steadying breath, hoping to regain some clarity in his otherwise fuzzy head before heading back into the living room with the guy who’s been making his heart and mind totally haywire lately.

As he steps into the hallway, Baekhyun lets his curiosity get the best of him so he decides to take an abrupt right in the direction of the second doorway, allowing himself to take a quick peek at Chanyeol’s bedroom. There’s a little white lamp turned on in the left corner of the room, resting on a wooden nightstand wedged between the wall and a massive bed that occupies a majority of the space. To his right is a desk equipped with the man’s MacBook, synthesizer, a slew of papers and whole bunch of other musical-looking gadgets, but what really catches his eye are the acoustic and electric guitars in their respective stands sitting next to it.

“Having fun?”

Baekhyun almost jumps out of his skin at the unexpected voice emerging from behind his back and he clutches a hand at his chest as he turns around to face its owner, pupils blown wide and pulse racing.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” Chanyeol grins, looking a little ruffled himself with his shirt creased and his hair mussed. “But yeah, this is where all the magic happens.” He spreads his hands apart in a display of the room, pursing his lips as he looks around in satisfaction before glancing back toward Baekhyun almost as if he were seeking the other’s approval.

“I hope you’re referring to your music…” The shorter raises a soft brow. “Speaking of which,” he then turns in the direction of the guitars, “-since you’re such a _gentleman_ , you should play me something.”

“Why don’t I play you one of my recent compositions?” he suggests, stepping towards the desk and grabbing his laptop.

“Okay.”

Baekhyun takes a seat on the edge of the king-sized bed, small feet dangling as he waits in anticipation for the man to get started. Chanyeol is busying himself with turning on the hefty speakers stacked on the other side of his bed, clearly excited at the chance of showing someone his work as he eventually seats himself beside the brunet and plugs the long auxiliary cable into the correct port on his Mac. His fingers run across the keys at lightning speed, eyebrows furrowed as he types away in concentration.

“Here we go,” he smiles then, successfully locating the file and relaxing his shoulders a little as he backs away from the screen, peeking at Baekhyun briefly before pressing play. “I still have to master the sound, but…” he trails off.

As soon as the first piano chord is heard Chanyeol’s low vocals comes in overtop of it, velvety smooth as he follows the steady melody played by his fingers. It sends a chill up Baekhyun’s spine, jaw dropping and small eyes gaping in total surprise that the guy not only plays the music but he can _sing_ too. The song begins to build as Chanyeol dips down into lower notes, vibrato so deep and so soothing that Baekhyun feels it in his own chest as he listens to the lyrics about a man completely in despair over someone so much that it burns. He chances a quick glance over at the taller, curious if the man is watching his reaction but instead finds his eyelids shut seemingly in a trance as he mouths along to the words peacefully. The chorus finally comes and Chanyeol’s previous guttural vocals are suddenly octaves higher and _holy shit can he sing_ , pleading for this person not to leave and just stay, stay by his side. Baekhyun shivers, unexpectedly overcome with feelings of sympathy for this poor bastard pouring his heart out and begging his lover to come back, that he’s waiting, that he loves them. There is raw and tender emotion in Chanyeol’s voice as he eventually hits the song’s climax and croons those final words of desperation before calmly rasping the last line and closing it out with another beautiful piano chord.

Before he knows it, Baekhyun feels a faint track of saline spilling across his cheek as the song comes to an end and he reaches a delicate hand up to quickly brush it away before the taller man can see it, but it’s too late.

Chanyeol is looking at him obviously expecting his feedback and Baekhyun is sitting here being overly sensitive and tearing up from listening to a song, but it’s not his fault he gets easily emotional over sentimental things. It also doesn’t help that alcohol increases his level of sensitivity tenfold, and he’s had quite a bit tonight.

“Was it that bad?”

The intonation of doubt present in the man’s question makes Baekhyun’s stomach suddenly pull with guilt. “N-no, not at all,” he dismisses. “It was really moving, actually. I wasn’t expecting that for some reason. Your musical talent is pretty impressive.”

“Thanks,” he breathes.

Chanyeol sneaks a hand up to scratch at the back of his neck and Baekhyun swears he sees the man’s cheeks tint a light pink. A small smile forms on his lips as he watches his usually confident neighbor turn shy at the compliment, a shred of vulnerability shining through his otherwise strong and assured persona. It’s cute how nervous he looks.

“What?”

Baekhyun just continues smiling. “Nothing.”

They hold each other’s gaze for what feels like eternity, Baekhyun unsure of what to say next as they both continue to sit in a calm silence, tension radiating in the stale air between them. He notices Chanyeol’s focus gradually start to drift and he feels his heart hammering against his chest when he realizes the man is now staring at his mouth. On reflex he swipes his small tongue out to wet his bottom lip and Chanyeol mirrors the action as he slowly leans his body forward, never dropping his gaze from Baekhyun’s lips. _Is this happening right now?_ The temperature in the room seems to triple, Baekhyun certain his body is now breaking out in a sweat as he feels the sudden proximity of the man inflaming his skin and drowning his senses. Chanyeol smells of white musk and beer and somehow it’s strangely appealing but maybe that’s just Baekhyun’s mind craving for something it hasn’t had in a long time. When he feels the man’s warm breath fan across his lips all thoughts dissipate and he lets his body take control, slim fingers gripping the fabric of the comforter and eyelids slowly fluttering in preparation for what’s sure to come. His eyes are almost completely shut until he catches a final glimpse as Chanyeol’s focus suddenly shifts past him, eyes widening comically in what Baekhyun can only guess to be concern.

Alarm bells go off in his head and Baekhyun whips around to see what’s behind him that has the giant so worried. _Please don’t let it be a giant spider_. He’s not really sure what he expects to find other than the giant _One Piece_ flag hanging on the wall, but nothing appears to be out of the ordinary and confusion begins to seep in while his pulse continues to race. That is until he hears the quiet laughter that definitely isn’t coming from him.

“What’s so funny, why are you laughing?” Baekhyun asks apprehensively as he turns to face the man once again, searching his eyes for some sort of answer and coming up short.

Chanyeol says nothing, smile dangling on the corner of his lips as he continues looking at the brunet with mirth.

“Alright, well I’m gonna go.” Baekhyun stands, feeling humiliated all of a sudden and he doesn’t even know why because his neighbor won’t tell him what’s so _goddamned_ funny.

“I’m sorry I had to.” Chanyeol finally blurts. “You’re adorable when you’re scared I couldn’t help it.”

“Are you serious…” The guy was a second away from kissing Baekhyun and he chose _that_ moment to try and scare him instead. _Who does that?_ “I’m leaving,” he says then, shaking his head in complete disbelief at the situation.

“Wait,” Chanyeol calls. Baekhyun chooses to ignore it, heading for the bedroom door and contemplating every decision he’s ever made before he feels the man’s large hands clutching at his waist, holding him in place against his chest. “I’m sorry,” Chanyeol mutters hoarsely in his ear, nosing at the soft skin along Baekhyun’s pulse point. It raises the hairs on the back of his neck and he tries to jerk away from the sensitivity but the man won’t let up. He attempts to turn his head, pouting up at the taller as he still tries to shove him off and still fails.

“Yah. Let me _go_.”

Chanyeol is still smiling and it makes Baekhyun’s blood boil. _This is not some joke_. His forehead is wrinkled and his eyebrows are furrowed as he continues to pout at the man in irritation. _Just let me go_. When one of the hands on his waist releases its hold Baekhyun thinks he’s finally understood. But without notice, Chanyeol reaches up and thumbs at his protruding lip, rough fingers cupping his cheek. His hungry gaze flits back and forth between Baekhyun’s small pink mouth and the look of desperation in his downturned eyes, sturdy chest still pressing against his back. Chanyeol carefully leans in and the sudden rush of adrenaline makes Baekhyun’s heart beat wildly as the blood reaches his ears and sets them on fire with the rest of his body. He would be lying if he said he wanted the man to stop.

 _To hell with it._  
  
When their lips finally touch, every ounce of restraint Baekhyun may have had goes completely out the window. His desire to satiate the burning feeling in the pit of his stomach takes over and he releases a carnal mewl against the man’s mouth, signaling him to continue. _Please, don't stop._  
  
Chanyeol wastes no time, eagerly licking along the seam of Baekhyun’s soft bottom lip. He’s quickly granted access as the shorter threads his thin fingers through the man’s dark hair, pulling him even closer and allowing their tongues to meld in a warm caress. Chanyeol’s full lips are soft, encasing his own thinner ones and Baekhyun wants to pull them between his teeth and hear the lewd noise he makes. _I need more..._ Chanyeol must feel the same way as he drops his hold on Baekhyun’s waist and turns him completely around, tugging his hips flush against his own before delving back in to taste that sinful mouth.

The sound that Baekhyun releases when he feels his groin rub against Chanyeol’s should be illegal, fervent moan lurching from the back of his throat as the man begins suckling on his tongue and making it difficult to breathe. His senses are on overdrive, body craving to be closer as he clings to him with a sense of urgency.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Chanyeol grounds out when he finally comes up for air. “Come here.”

Baekhyun shivers as those two words are breathed against his lips, chills tingling every inch of his skin. He faintly notices the taller’s fingers hook through the belt loops of his jeans before he feels himself being towed in the direction of the bed. Within seconds he’s being pulled onto the man’s lap, suddenly regretting how tight his pants are as svelte thighs move to straddle Chanyeol’s waist. He takes one look at the disheveled state of the man beneath him, wild eyes silently pleading before he snakes both arms around his neck and dives back in, hotly pressing their lips together as he melts in the embrace.

Chanyeol is very insistent in the way he kisses, gentle but demanding as he curls his tongue around Baekhyun’s and nibbles on the soft pink flesh. It has him feeling breathless, head floating in the clouds as this man seeps his way in and takes complete control of his senses. The hands once resting on his waist slowly slide around to palm at the curve of his ass and Baekhyun moans at the touch, grinding his hips forward to try and create some sort of friction. When he feels the hardness of Chanyeol’s length rub against him beneath the fabric of his jeans, his own cock twitches shooting white hot heat to the deepest pit of his stomach. He hears the low and almost animalistic groan tear from Chanyeol’s throat as thick fingers squeeze tighter around the supple mounds of his backside.

“Touch me,” Baekhyun whines, and it sounds so needy but he can't bring himself to give a damn when his whole body is begging for it. Chanyeol licks into his mouth one more time before he unlatches his plush lips, breathing ragged as his chest heaves to make up for how fast his heart is beating.

As he tries to catch his breath for a moment, Chanyeol peers up at the horny little brunet seated atop his lap and seems to hesitate before speaking. “Baekhyun,” he eventually croaks, voice gravelly and sounding way too sexy right now for his own good. “We can’t.”

Baekhyun hears the words but his mind doesn’t process them. It’s too busy figuring out how to get what it wants, and right now it wants to get this god forsaken shirt off. He slithers a slender hand around the man’s neck, delicate fingertips brushing against Chanyeol’s jugular and feeling the skin underneath break out in goosebumps as he drags them, slow and deliberate over the crook of his firm shoulder and gently creeps across the shallow dip of his clavicles. When he reaches the buttons of the already half-open collar, Baekhyun slips two fingers below the sheer fabric and yanks all the way down, succeeding in ripping the shirt open and revealing the man’s perfectly sculpted, sweaty abdomen. He drops his hand and sits back on his heels, taking in the unforgettable sight before him.  
_  
I wanna feel it so bad._ Of course that’s the first thought that comes to Baekhyun’s mind, so he moves to do just that, chewing at his bottom lip as he carefully eases a hand to spread flat against the man’s abs and feeling the warm perspiration cling to his skin. Chanyeol hums, clearly enjoying how the shorter is touching him and giving no indication he wants him to stop so Baekhyun decides to be even more daring, trailing his fingers along the small patch of dark hairs beneath the man’s bellybutton and briefly edging them under the hem of his black pants. When he ventures even lower, beginning to trace around the outline of an obvious bulge and gently thumbing at the head, he feels Chanyeol tense under him, harshly sucking in air as his eyes start to roll back in what can only be pleasure.

“You like that?,” Baekhyun rasps, thrilled he can make the other weak beneath his fingers. When he doesn’t receive a response, he decides to continue his ministrations and slides a hand over to the metal button fastening the man’s jeans. As he attempts to unbutton the fabric, he feels a sudden tight grip engulfing his fingers, halting their movement.

“Baekhyun...” It sounds like a whimper squeezing from the back of Chanyeol’s throat. Baekhyun spends a few seconds searching the man’s eyes, wondering why he currently looks so conflicted before he utters the next words. “You’re drunk, we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Suddenly Baekhyun’s head is swimming, seemingly lost at the claim. _What?_ _I’m drunk?_ To say he’s confused would be an understatement.

“Maybe we should get you home, it’s late.”

It takes a minute for those words to sink in, to wrap his head around the fact that he’s being asked to leave by the same person he was just making out with a minute ago. Apparently Chanyeol thinks he can’t make decisions for himself, that he is so wasted he has no control over his own thoughts or actions. When that finally registers to Baekhyun, every bit of burning desire he had is extinguished and replaced with both shock and outrage.

“What are you talking about?” He questions as he hastily climbs off of the man, now feeling defensive and honestly insulted.

“Hey,” Chanyeol murmurs, relaxing his shoulders as he stares up at the short brunet. “It’s okay, it happens.”

The look of sympathy in Chanyeol’s eyes intended to lighten the mood only infuriates Baekhyun even more. _I don’t need your pity, who does this guy think he is?_  
  
“If I’m so drunk then why did you even-,” he utters, heart rate increasing with his frustration. “You know what, don’t bother.” He puts a hand up to stop the man from replying. Right now he just needs to get the hell out of here before he’s humiliated any more than he already has been. Baekhyun can only handle so much embarrassment for one night. He bites his lip to stop it from quivering as he turns and begins to head for the door.

“Baekhyun...” Chanyeol exclaims, standing from the side of the bed. But he makes no move to follow the smaller as he rushes out of the room and down the hall.

When Baekhyun reaches the front door he fumbles with the deadbolt because his hands are shaking so bad. He finally gets it unlocked and flings the door open, making sure to slam it shut in indignation. _Take that, asshole_. He stops for a moment to catch his breath before careening over to his own front door, entering the keycode and pushing inside as fast as he can before the ~~guy~~ asshole gets any ideas to come out looking for him.

Once inside Baekhyun goes to kick his shoes off, a habit he does every time he walks through the door before realizing he never grabbed them as he stormed out of ~~Chanyeol’s~~ asshole’s apartment. And of course they’re his favorite pair. _Saint Laurent_ leather boots aren’t cheap but there’s not a chance in hell that he’s going back over there.

“Fuck my life,” he sighs aloud, running a hand through his messy hair.

The only thing that sounds good right now is collapsing in his bed and staying there forever. To hell with taking a shower tonight, he doesn’t even care he just wants to bury himself in a shield of blankets. Shuffling sluggishly to his bedroom Baekhyun heads for his dresser, opening the drawer and pulling out a t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts and setting them on the bed. He slips his phone and wallet out of his pockets, placing them on his nightstand as he begins stripping his clothes and tossing them on the floor. His hamper is four feet from where the pile of clothes lay but he couldn’t care less, leaving them there to deal with later as he crawls onto his king-sized mattress and tightly wraps himself in the sheets beneath the duvet.

His mind is still racing with a million thoughts and too many questions about what the fuck just happened. _I’m not wrong to be angry. He was so into it and then- It’s not my fault he had a change of heart, right?_ His head is spinning, so Baekhyun closes his eyes and takes long deep breaths, attempting to calm his rapidly beating heart while he tries to recount the night from the beginning.

 _The Sandman_ seems to have a plan of his own, however, soon pulling Baekhyun into a heavy sleep.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Sunday morning brings a splitting headache and a new wave of resentment to the young salesman who is currently hiding from the sun’s glaring rays as he drags a pillow over his head.

 _It’s too early to feel this shitty_.

He feels gross, entire body covered in sweat and last night’s guilt. Truthfully, he doesn’t even want to think about the situation. It’s too soon, wound too fresh. He reaches over to grab his phone, curious to see what god awful time it is and what percentage his battery made it to uncharged, but his stomach churns when he sees the name on the screen accompanied by a single message.

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_I’m so sorry_

  
  
  


It was sent a little after three o’clock in the morning. Baekhyun wonders if the man is even awake yet or even remembers everything that happened last night. For all he knows, Chanyeol could have been drunk when he sent that.

Deciding that he’s not in the mood to deal with _life_ right now, Baekhyun spends the next ten minutes convincing himself to get up and get in the shower. Maybe that will make him feel at least a fraction less miserable. He also needs to take a few Excedrin pills before his head explodes from the throbbing pain of a hangover.

When he finally stumbles into the bathroom, he takes a brief glance at himself in the wide mirror and instantly cringes at how terrible he actually looks.

At least it matches how he feels.

The warm water of the shower helps to wash the grimy feeling away from his skin, and as he pours his favorite lavender & vanilla scented body wash onto the sponge and begins scrubbing his body, Baekhyun can’t help but remember how good it felt to have someone else touch him for once. To have someone hold him, taste him, _want_ him. A flood of feelings rush to the surface then, feelings Baekhyun would rather not have to face right now.

Rejection is the toughest one to swallow. Was Chanyeol trying to use the excuse of him being drunk as a way of letting him down easier? Did Baekhyun read the entire situation wrong? Hell, the entire night wrong? He would have swore that Chanyeol was totally into it, in fact _he_ was the one who initiated it in the first place. But then something changed. Maybe he realized what he was doing with Baekhyun, the lonely guy from next door who is afraid of insects and leads a pretty uneventful life, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. So instead of admitting he was wrong, he chose to put the blame on Baekhyun by using the constant excuse of ‘trying to be helpful’ and suggesting the brunet go home because he was too intoxicated. It’s nauseating to be honest.

_I wasn’t that drunk. I knew exactly what I was doing. I wanted it, and he lead me on._

The text he sent afterward was probably just an admission of guilt, because he probably knew he lead Baekhyun on.

As he finishes rinsing the rest of the soap away and shuts the water off, Baekhyun grabs his oversized cotton towel off the hook and wraps himself in it, determined to spend the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing. Maybe he’ll catch up on episodes of _Goblin_ since he’s missed the past three because of work. Or maybe he’ll play Overwatch all day. Probably the latter.

He walks back into his bedroom to grab some comfy sweats to slip into and sees his phone screen light up again. Curious as to who wants to reach him on a Sunday morning, Baekhyun shuffles over to the side of his bed.

_I swear if work is trying to get me to come in on my day off again I’m gonna-_

But it’s not work.

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_How are you feeling this morning?_

  
  
  


Baekhyun’s jaw clenches. Is this guy seriously still playing the concerned-neighbor act with him? Well he’s about to be in for a rude awakening because he must not know that Baekhyun’s _fuck you_ game is stronger than ever.

_How am I feeling? I don’t know, why don’t you tell me since apparently you think for me now. Asshole._

The urge to be petty and reply with those exact words crosses his mind, but he decides to keep some dignity and class and just blow the guy off instead. Blow his message off, that is.

He slides the phone back on the nightstand and goes back to getting dressed, refusing to let the man sour his mood for the rest of today. Baekhyun has enough to busy himself with to be concerned about a giant douchebag of a neighbor down the hall.

After pulling his sweatpants on and lazily applying moisturizer to his face, Baekhyun finally makes it into the kitchen for his Sunday morning cup of coffee, the rare occasion when he isn’t spending money at his local _Starbucks_. He proceeds to fill half of the mug with french vanilla cream because who really enjoys the taste of black coffee? _No one_. And after the Keurig finishes brewing the steaming dark liquid, Baekhyun takes his heavenly cup of goodness and pads into the living room where he plans to remain all day.

“Alright, who’s ready to lose...” he singsongs on his way over to his computer desk in the corner. Overwatch it is. “And every stupid Bastion I see is getting smashed.”

No, he’s totally not being petty.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Monday morning is hectic as usual as Baekhyun flies around his apartment trying to do a billion things last minute before heading out the door for work. He had the entire day yesterday to get his shit together for today and chose to ignore all of his responsibilities for once, so now he's paying the price as he scrambles to get a client’s job folder together before making it to the appointment.

When he finally piles everything in his briefcase and is halfway certain he has everything, he slips on his shoes and slides out of the front door.

Except he isn't expecting anything in his path so when the young salesman rushes to step forward and almost twists his ankle in the process, he begins cursing aloud for whoever is awake to hear it.

“The _fuck_ ,” he yelps, catching his balance by shoving his briefcase against the wall of the hallway. Baekhyun looks down to find whatever the hell he just tripped over and sees the familiar pair of studded leather boots sat outside of his doorway. _Why are these just sitting here?_ Upon further inspection he spots a sticky note attached to the inside of the left one. _Seriously..._ He really doesn’t have time for this right now, but he reaches down and snatches the note anyway.

_Hey you left these at my place, figured you wanted them back. I knocked but no one answered. Sorry for bothering you.  
-PCY_

(Baekhyun may or may not have heard someone knocking at the door yesterday, and he may or may not have chosen not to answer it when a particular voice was heard calling for him. Instead, he continued sitting at his desk focused on ranking up and not thinking about stupid tall neighbors who think they know it all.)

Chanyeol must have stopped by to return his shoes in person but settled on just leaving them when it was apparent the brunet wasn’t coming to the door. And being the overly-thoughtful guy that he is, decided to leave a note stating his good deed while simultaneously sounding passive aggressive.

Too bad Baekhyun wasn’t having any of it.  
_  
I will not be guilt tripped,_ he concedes as he shoves the note in his pocket and opens his door again to quickly toss the boots inside.

He really hates Mondays.

  
  
  
  
  
  


After leaving the office late Wednesday evening, Baekhyun heads home determined to go for a long run on the treadmill to try and relieve some stress. He’s been slacking a little on his workouts lately, which could partially be the reason for his less-than-pleasant mood this week. Exercise is usually his go-to when things are weighing heavy and Baekhyun needs some reprieve. It lets him sweat out all of the day’s worries and leaves him not only energized, but genuinely _happy_ , like he’s accomplished something worthwhile. The way his body looks afterward is just an added bonus.

When he finally makes it back to the flat Baekhyun sheds his work slacks and button-down, quickly changing into running attire before grabbing his Nike cross-trainers and a water bottle and is on his way out of the door.

Once inside the elevator, a brief thought crosses his mind that a certain someone could also be at the gym (a huge reason why Baekhyun refrained from his _Sunday Squat Day_ this week). He’s been doing pretty well avoiding the other, he just hopes he can keep it up. It’s not an easy task to do when you not only live in the same building, but your front doors are right down the hall from each other.

“Please spare me today,” he says under his breath.

As he steps out onto the main floor and heads down the hall for the fitness center, Baekhyun begins to psyche himself up for his run. Last time he was able to make it three and half miles before starting his cool-down. Tonight his goal is going to be four miles, and he knows he can do it if he gets in the right mindset and pushes himself harder.

He’s so focused on scrolling through his workout playlist and trying to get in the zone that when he turns the corner for the treadmill area, he doesn’t even notice the person walking his direction on their way out. Just as he selects his favorite song, Baekhyun looks up from his phone and immediately wishes he hadn’t.

“Hey.”

Baekhyun sees him mouth the word even though he can’t hear anything over the music blaring in his headphones. Chanyeol’s lips are pulled into a small smile and he’s sweating profusely, muscle shirt sticking obscenely to his chest and rolled at the sleeves to give a nice display of his arms. When Baekhyun catches his eyes for a split second, he feels the slightest tug at his chest but he instantly buries his face back in his phone, walking past the man as if he didn’t exist and busies himself with choosing a machine to use.

He doesn’t feel bad about blatantly brushing Chanyeol off, _he deserved it_. At least that’s what Baekhyun tells himself as his eyes slowly drift back in that direction as the man exits the gym.

The tiny knot forming in his stomach tells another story, but he ignores the telltale feeling and blames it on muscle cramps instead.

  
  
  
  
  
  


By Friday night, Baekhyun is in complete denial and it’s starting to eat away at him, forcing the twenty-five year old to question his own feelings for the umpteenth time these past few days.

Just a week ago at this very time he was sitting in his kitchen with Chanyeol, eating dinner and laughing as they shared stories and simply enjoyed each other’s company. Now he’s sitting here on his couch, guilt ridden and possibly even sulking as he listens to the sound of his neighbor composing on his rhythm machine through their shared wall.

He’s not sure why he’s feeling so affected just by merely hearing the man and his music, but it serves as a cold reminder of how lonely he really is, and how pathetic that truly sounds.

Coming to terms with the fact that he might actually miss the guy is only half the battle. Admitting that aloud and actually doing something about it is a whole different playing field that Baekhyun isn’t sure he’s ready for.

He’s conflicted. On one hand he’s still upset, still feels like Chanyeol made a fool of him that night. But on the other hand, the guy has made several attempts to try and reach out to Baekhyun which shows that he must have some sort of conscience.

Yesterday morning he had woken up to another text.

  
  
  


[ **From:** Park Chanyeol]  
_Baekhyun I’m really sorry.  
I’ll leave you alone I just wanted you know that._

  
  
  


He didn’t reply, but the words made him indescribably sad for some reason. Baekhyun’s whole intention was to make the _other_ man feel like shit. _So why am I the one feeling like this?_ It’s not fair, now he just feels like a jerk sitting alone on his couch on a Friday night.

An hour goes by and he’s still sitting in the same spot, still moping and trying to brainstorm other ways he can pass the time because honestly this is just depressing. After continuing to stare blankly in the direction of his kitchen and convincing himself he doesn’t need to indulge in anymore ice cream tonight (he already ate a whole pint of coconut chocolate chip), a sudden idea comes to mind. Despite it being a little impulsive and probably totally ridiculous, Baekhyun can’t help but think it’s the right thing to do. So he peels himself up off the leather couch cushion and begins dragging his feet in the direction of his front door, wondering if he will have the guts to actually follow through with it.

Moments later he finds himself standing outside his neighbor’s doorway, the sound of piano keys meeting a heavy bassline reverberating through the steel of the door as the man continues to play. Baekhyun feels nauseous, stomach swirling and head swimming with too many reasons why this is a stupid idea, but he feebly swipes his palms back and forth across the flannel of his lounge pants trying to rid them of sweat before reaching up to give a hefty knock.

Sometime after two or three rounds of knocking he hears all of the noise on the other side pause, and it’s during that short period of silence that Baekhyun feels his heart hammering it’s way up his throat so he chews at his bottom lip to distract himself as he attempts to swallow down his nerves. When the handle finally turns and the door starts opening cautiously to reveal a rather confused-looking giant, Baekhyun realizes how unprepared for this he really is.

“Hi.” His voice is barely above a whisper and he can’t seem to meet Chanyeol’s eyes. His hair is back to its mess of curls and he's wearing a hoodie that says ‘Sexual Fantasies’ across the chest which under normal circumstances would make the shorter want to laugh but he pushes on, determined to finish what he started. “Umm...I know I probably have no right to ask you this, but…but could you please help me?” Baekhyun is shaking; not only is his voice unsteady but his hands are trembling and yeah, this was a stupid idea but he continues anyway, eyes glued to the man’s hands which are currently curled into fists. “There’s another spider...and I can’t get it.”

There’s no response for a while, and when Baekhyun is pretty sure that the only audible noise is the sound of all the blood rushing to his ears, he chances a look up at Chanyeol who appears to be indifferent, his usual honeyed-almond eyes now stone cold as the man studies him closely. He feels so small under Chanyeol’s hard gaze and he wants to say something, say anything that will convey how truly sorry he feels for his recent behavior toward the taller but before he has a chance to utter another word, Baekhyun feels the cold air sweep past his cheek as the door closes right in his face.

It takes a second for the realization to sink in, his feet still glued to floor as his mind struggles to catch up and send the signal for his body to react. _Well that went...well._ He then turns on his heels, downcast eyes fighting to hold back the onset of fresh tears as he staggers back to his flat feeling defeated at best.

That was not at all what he was expecting out of the encounter. Rejection hurt enough the first time but to have a door slammed in your face for part two is too much for his already-weakened heart to handle. Once he makes it back inside the comfort of his own four walls, the brunet heads back to where to he first started, ready to curl himself back on the couch and never leave, at least not for the rest of the weekend. He gets about halfway there when a sudden noise from behind stops him right in his tracks.

Someone is knocking on his door.  
  
Did I order takeout? Slightly confused at the matter, Baekhyun shuffles back to the entryway and pulls the door open again only to come face-to-face (well, face-to- _chest_ ) with his tall neighbor.  
  
What are you doing here?  
  
They stand there for a second just staring at each other before someone eventually speaks.

“So where’s it at?” Chanyeol asks, hands in his pockets and still acting pretty aloof as he completely disregards the fact he just shut his door in the smaller man’s face.

“Umm…” Baekhyun doesn’t know what to say, he hadn’t thought this far ahead.

“Can I come in?”

For lack of response Baekhyun opens the door, making way for the taller to enter and begins to lead him into the kitchen, despite the fact that nothing is actually there. Chanyeol doesn’t know that, not yet anyway.

When they reach the barstools he turns back toward the man, eyes still glassy and fumbling for words as Chanyeol looks at him expectantly.

“Look,” Baekhyun starts, taking a deep breath. “There’s nothing here...I just-” he sighs as he plays with his fingers nervously. “I wanted to apologize. I’ve been acting like a jerk and I’m sorry.”

“You’re right, you have,” Chanyeol rasps, words cutting deep and further unnerving the shorter male. “But I’m sorry too. I think there’s been some misunderstanding on both of our ends.” He moves toward the island and rests his elbow against the counter, watching as Baekhyun still stands there awkwardly. “Can you at least tell me why you seem to hate my guts all of a sudden?”

Baekhyun’s really not good at this, with confrontation of any kind to be honest. Telling someone to their face how terrible they made you feel isn’t the easiest of things to do, especially not when they’re looking at you like a sad puppy wondering why it’s being left behind.

“I’m not trying to corner you, I’m just trying to understand.”

“Because you humiliated me,” Baekhyun murmurs, troubled eyes finally glancing up to meet Chanyeol’s. “You made me believe you actually liked me, then pushed me away…” His lip is quivering and his throat feels like it’s closing up, words coming out coarse and withered. “-like some unwanted piece of trash that you blamed on being drunk so you wouldn’t have to find an excuse…” He chokes on the last word, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes as he searches the other man’s, seeing how quickly his demeanor changes at the accusation.

“Baekhyun that’s not true,” he says, starting to sound upset himself as he pushes a hand off of the counter to stand up straight before resting them both on his hips. “I’ll admit I may have handled things wrong, but I never meant to push you away and I sure as hell wasn’t pretending to feel anything.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Baekhyun mutters, brows drawn in confusion.

“It means I have feelings for you,” and he says it like it’s been obvious all along. “Which is exactly why I couldn’t go through with things that night, no matter how bad I wanted to.” A knowing smile begins to form on his lips and he approaches the shorter male, soon standing too close for Baekhyun to breathe. “I didn’t want you to wake up regretting things and hating me, I couldn’t take that risk.”

“But I wanted it…” Baekhyun frowns. _I wanted you_.

Chanyeol replies with a hearty chuckle, “Believe me so did I.” He steps forward, almost completely closing the distance as he reaches a hand up to cup Baekhyun’s dampened cheek in his warm palm, those large pleading eyes looking straight into his soul. “I never meant to hurt you, and for that I am truly sorry.”

Then a rough thumb is gently moving to wipe at the already-fallen tears, caressing the soft skin with a sort of reassurance. Baekhyun feels his insides about to burst at the touch, electric currents coursing through his skin and setting it afire as his heart beats wildly. There is no trace of anger but instead something just as forceful, ready to release itself from the lockbox buried deep within his chest.

When the man carefully leans in just a hairsbreadth away, Baekhyun can feel his heated breath fanning against his cheeks and he sucks in a gulp of air, lungs burning as they fill to capacity. Chanyeol never breaks his gaze.

“Can you forgive me?”

It’s only a second that Baekhyun lightly nods his head before he feels plush lips pressing into his own, large hand splayed against his lower back ushering him to come closer. A small whine pulls from the back of his throat and spills past Chanyeol’s lips as the man slides his tongue inside his mouth, smoothly lapping at the warmth with ease. With no resistance Baekhyun wraps his arms around the taller man’s neck, fighting to hold himself up as Chanyeol continues to kiss him breathless, tongue gliding along his gums before playfully mingling with his own. His whole body is tingling with need, the sudden crave for more driving him to yank at the fabric of Chanyeol’s hoodie with nimble fingers, scraping his teeth along the man’s full bottom lip and eliciting a rather delightful groan in the process.

When they finally pull apart to catch a breath, Baekhyun can feel the heat radiating from their pores and flushing their skin a rosy pink. It’s almost suffocating yet his body yearns to be touched, for every inch to be smothered by this man’s fingertips and tasted on his tongue.

“Where’s your room?” Chanyeol breathes, a darkness in his eyes that speaks of urgency, of want, and who was Baekhyun to deny him of this when he knows his own eyes speak the same.

“Down the hall. First left.”

Before he knows it Baekhyun is being lifted off the ground and scooped into the taller’s strong arms, unable to help the shriek that escapes his pretty lips as Chanyeol effortlessly carries him bridal style through his flat. When he grabs at the man’s shoulders with a death grip, afraid to fall, he receives a chuckle in response.

“Why do you think I do all that heavy lifting?” Chanyeol simpers, kicking at the bedroom door to open it all the way before maneuvering himself and his _don-in-distress_ through.

Baekhyun snorts, rolling his eyes at the remark. “As if your hoodie wasn’t bad enough,” he chides. _This guy is too much._  
  
Once they reach the bed, Chanyeol lays him gingerly on the mess of sheets and duvet cover, leaning in to give Baekhyun a chaste kiss on the lips before letting go and taking a step back to remove said hoodie.

“What,” he smiles, yanking the fabric over his head and disposing of it on the floor, nothing but bare skin and taut muscles underneath. “Am I not your _Sexual Fantasy_?”

Baekhyun swallows hard, ignoring the question and intently eyeing the man’s sculpted torso, wondering why his hands aren’t all over it right now. He continues to lay there and watch as Chanyeol strips his shorts to reveal tight black boxer briefs and _fuck_ , he wants to touch so bad he licks his lips in anticipation.

The taller must have the same thought as he strides back over, slowly climbing up the mattress until he’s hovering over the small brunet, dark eyes returning and shifting the mood. “Let’s get these off,” he says, deep and throaty as he fingers at the waistline of Baekhyun’s flannel pants. He receives a nod and then he’s pulling at the fabric, tugging them down the shorter’s thighs before noticing Baekhyun has nothing on underneath and he gasps, eyes widening in shock. “ _Jesus Christ_ ,” he growls when he comes eye-to-eye with Baekhyun’s semi-hard cock now stirring to life.

Baekhyun flushes, squirming as the man continues to stare at his arousal. “Can you please just-”

Chanyeol must hear the discomfort in his voice because he glances up, quickly meeting his pleading eyes before he keeps going, finally pulling the clothing off the rest of the way and tossing it somewhere behind him. Baekhyun takes the final liberty to rid himself of his shirt and soon he’s laying there, totally naked lest the pink blush blooming across his skin.

“Wow,” Chanyeol exhales, sitting on his heels body partially illuminated as he rakes heavy eyes over Baekhyun’s lithe form cradled in the soft white sheets. A tiny smile tugs at his lips and then he’s moving, easing his way up the length of the bed until he’s back above the brunet and he gently leans in to steal another sweet kiss.

Baekhyun reaches up to thread his fingers in the nest of black curls, tugging the man closer and melting at the delicious taste of his tongue. His body is on autopilot and he pushes back with force, delving deeper into the kiss and whimpering when he feels a hand slither its way down his heaving chest. The hand doesn’t stop as it carefully ghosts over the ripples of his abdomen, finger dipping at his bellybutton and spreading chills across his body before inching further down and meeting the patch of coarse dark hairs. When Baekhyun feels thick fingers completely engulf his length he lets out a moan so obscene he almost questions if it really came out of his own mouth as he yanks at the hair between his own fingers, keening into the touch.

Chanyeol begins rubbing his warm palm over the small sack, gently fondling at the velvety skin and causing the shorter’s thigh to jerk at the sensitivity. He releases his hold and slides his fingers to circle a thumb around the head of Baekhyun’s cock, pressing into the slit before giving a few easy strokes.

Baekhyun almost screams as he arches up into the touch, body on fire and mind in a daze as the man continues to tug at his length and nip at his tongue. When Chanyeol drags his lips down to suck on his jaw and lap at the soft skin of his neck, Baekhyun can’t stop the lewd string of moans ripping from his throat, arousal pumping through his veins and sending him into a state of delirium.

“ _Fuck_ that feels so good,” he whines, slurring the words as his eyelids flutter.

“Yeah?” Chanyeol rasps against his skin, hot breath tingling the junction of his neck and shoulder before he bites down into the flesh, sucking a bruise and swirling his tongue to sooth the wound. Baekhyun screams this time, throwing his head back into the pillow and jerking his hips up at the overstimulation.

“ _Please_.” It sounds so needy but all Baekhyun cares about is getting some release from the current pressure building in his groin.

“Not yet.”

And just like that Chanyeol lets go of his throbbing length and detaches his mouth from Baekhyun’s sensitive neck, rising off of the mattress to stand on the floor as he towers over him. He reaches down to shed his briefs and Baekhyun almost chokes when he sees the man’s hefty cock spring to life, already flushed and arching up against his trim waist. Chanyeol’s body is fucking gorgeous and Baekhyun is dying to see it put to use. _Hopefully sooner rather than later._  
  
“Do you have any condoms?” Chanyeol asks as he eyes the brunet.

“Yeah in the drawer right there,” Baekhyun breathes, body still sensitive and dying to be touched. “There’s lube too.” He doesn’t mention the fact that it’s strawberry, certain he’ll get a good teasing from the tall man.

Chanyeol swiftly gathers the contents from the nightstand, tossing the bottle of lube on the bed and about to tear the gold packet before he pauses for a moment. “Do you have a preference or is this okay?”

“Go ahead.” Baekhyun prefers to be on the receiving end anyway, and he especially wants to know what the man’s thick cock feels like pressed inside his walls.

After Chanyeol finally rolls the condom on and gives a few hard tugs to his length, he crawls back on the bed and positions himself right between Baekhyun’s lush thighs, grabbing his knees and spreading them even further apart. He reaches around for the lube and flicks open the cap, squirting a hefty amount on his fingers before tossing it back on the sheets and starting to rub his fingertips together. Then he’s hovering back over Baekhyun and leans in to meld their lips together, licking and nibbling at the soft flesh as he eases a finger up to prod at his entrance.

He takes his time, carefully circling around the hole and dipping just the tip of his slicked finger in and Baekhyun can feel the man’s arousal pressing hot and heavy against his stomach, reminding him of how badly he’s going to need stretched to accommodate the girth.

When the finger eventually squeezes its way past the ring of muscle, Baekhyun tenses, whining into Chanyeol’s mouth at the sudden intrusion. The taller continues to suck on his tongue as he thrusts the digit in and out, working to loosen the muscle at a slow and easy pace. It feels uncomfortable at first, but Chanyeol is being so cautious and treating him so delicately that Baekhyun ignores the discomfort, convincing himself it’ll all be worth it.

Soon a second finger is easing its way in and Chanyeol slides his head down to trace around Baekhyun’s pert nipple with his tongue, swirling around the edges but never actually touching the bud as he continues to thrust at his entrance. The teasing is driving Baekhyun mad and he’s almost ready to beg when he suddenly feels the man latch onto his hardened nipple, slurping and nibbling at it while his thick fingers start to scissor him open, stretching his hole and electrifying his body with pleasure as it arches from the current.

At this point Baekhyun’s not sure he’s gonna make it if the man keeps his ministrations up. Three fingers are now shoved in his tight hole, pumping in and out and maneuvering around in quick circles as Chanyeol moves over to the other nipple, lapping and biting and making Baekhyun’s heart thrash around his ribcage. He claws at the back of the man’s neck, other hand digging into the sheets and toes curling as he lets out a whimper. He’s really not gonna make it.

“Hang on beautiful,” Chanyeol mutters against his skin. “I’m gonna have you sit on me, okay?” He starts to back away from Baekhyun’s chest, inching his fingers out of the shorter’s backside and watching as the muscle spasms before moving to switch their positions, lying against the headboard and guiding the small brunet onto his lap.

Baekhyun takes it upon himself to grab at the man’s large cock, bewildered at the size of it in his small hand before giving it a few good strokes and watching Chanyeol’s eyes roll in the back of his head. As he continues to pump at the length, he feels the veins pulsing through the latex and the grip on his waist tightens, signalling him that it’s time. Baekhyun then raises up, directing the tip of Chanyeol’s cock right to his twitching hole and carefully starts to sink down.

Nothing could prepare him for the pain that shoots up his spine as he impales himself on the thick length, crying out as it stretches the muscle even more and throbs against his tight walls.

“ _Holy fuck_ ,” Chanyeol groans, the sound almost animalistic as it seeps past his lips. “You’re so tight. There’s no way I’m lasting long.”

That’s good because Baekhyun is pretty sure he’s about to explode. He leans forward, resting his palms on either side of Chanyeol’s head, and as slow as possible begins to carefully lift up, hissing at the movement and taking a deep breath before easing back down. He does this several times, taking his time to adjust to the girth as Chanyeol helps guide his hips. When the stretch starts to feel more pleasurable than painful, Baekhyun starts to gradually rock forward allowing the cock to be seated fully inside his heat, head rubbing against his walls and eliciting breathy moans from both men. As he starts to pick up the pace, Chanyeol slides his hands around to squeeze at the plush mounds of Baekhyun’s ass, spreading the cheeks apart and coaxing the brunet further down on his length as he begins to meet his thrusts.

It feels so fucking good, his mind completely devoid of anything other than reaching climax as Baekhyun begins riding the cock, bouncing his ass against the man’s waist with urgency.  
_  
Please. Don’t. Stop._

He faintly feels a hand leave his waist and before he knows it it’s wrapped around his own length, pumping it steadily in rhythm with their thrusts and he cries out, latching onto Chanyeol’s mouth and spilling his moans into the man’s lips. They kiss sloppy and wet, a hurried clash of tongues and teeth as they press their hips closer and closer, fighting for friction.

When Chanyeol slants his hips up, new angle forcing his head to brush against Baekhyun’s prostate in just the right way, the shorter wails, white hot heat spurting from the tip of his length and coating both of their stomachs with the sticky fluid as he clenches down.

“ _Ohmy-_ ” Chanyeol grits through his teeth as Baekhyun’s walls constrict tightly around him, canting up even further to slam the smaller’s hips forcefully against his own. After a few hard thrusts, his fingers dig into Baekhyun’s waist, halting the brunet as he finally releases inside him and exhales a deep groan.

Body now pliant and feeling totally blissed out Baekhyun collapses on the man, totally ignoring the cum smeared across his skin as he lays there struggling to catch his breath.

“You are something else,” Chanyeol sighs, heart pounding fiercely beneath his heaving chest.

Baekhyun raises his head up to rest his chin on the man’s sternum, small smile playing at his lips as he meets Chanyeol’s gaze. “Am I your _Sexual Fantasy_?” He smirks, eyes twinkling in mirth as he giggles at his own pun.

“Yeah I’d say so,” the taller chuckles. “Come here.”

Abiding by his request, Baekhyun slowly pulls off of Chanyeol’s softened cock and hears him hiss as it meets the chilly air and falls limp against the man’s thigh. He then crawls up the span of Chanyeol’s defined torso before nuzzling into the crook of his neck, stretching an arm across his waist and tangling their legs together. He feels Chanyeol grab hold of him and they just lay like this, sticky and gross and completely sated.

After a while Chanyeol begins to stir, informing the smaller that he’s going to clean them up as he shifts Baekhyun over so he can slide off the bed.

Baekhyun gets a glorious view of his frontside and watches him roll the condom off and tie it up as he searches around for a trash bin. “It’s over here,” he says, thumbing over his right shoulder and biting his lip at Chanyeol looking like a lost puppy. “Towels are in the bathroom.”

When Chanyeol returns a few minutes later with a damp cloth, Baekhyun is already feeling drowsy and basks in the sensation of the warm water on his skin as the man carefully rubs at the dried semen.

“Where should I put this?” he asks after he finishes wiping at the both of them.

“Wherever,” Baekhyun mumbles, eyes feeling heavy; Sex definitely wore him out. He’s about to ask if Chanyeol had planned on staying but before he even gets the chance to ask, the man is ushering him to scoot over so he rolls to the other side of the bed to try and give the taller some space, but is quickly yanked back as Chanyeol wraps a strong arm around his waist and pulls him against his warm bare chest under the sheets.

“Sweet dreams, Baek.”

Baekhyun feels the puff of breath on his neck and shivers at the sensation. Chanyeol only tightens his hold, snuggling even closer.

The last thought Baekhyun has before drifting into dreamland is that of finally meeting his favorite superhero. But when he reaches up to unmask him, he sees someone all too familiar staring back.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Baekhyun awakes to morning sunlight beating down on him through the small opening in his curtains and something hard pressing against him from behind. He blinks a few times to try and rid the sleep dust sticking his lashes together before glancing down and seeing the large hand splayed against his bare stomach. This makes him blush as he recounts their little romp from last night, still in disbelief at how things even got to that point but completely happy that it did. He thoroughly enjoyed every bit of what the man had to offer and he won’t even bother lying about wanting to do it again.  
_  
Soon, perhaps_.

When Chanyeol eventually begins to stir awake, he grumbles lowly before tugging the shorter closer and nestling his hard length right between the seam of Baekhyun’s cheeks.

Baekhyun parts his pink lips and releases a soft moan, pushing his ass against the man’s groin, body already craving for more friction. He hears Chanyeol groan then feels a wet kiss placed on the ivory skin of his shoulder, tongue drawing patterns and raising the hair’s along the back of his neck.

“Good morning beautiful.”

Baekhyun hums, skin flushing as the man continues lapping at his shoulder and grinding into him from behind. “Mmm, good morning to you too.” Then Chanyeol is dragging his warm lips over his jugular, sucking and licking languidly at the expanse of sensitive skin. “ _Ahh..._ ” he whines, unable to control his body’s reaction as he throws his head back and shoves his hips hard against the man’s cock.

Chanyeol’s hand starts to trail down the small brunet’s lower body but before it can reach his half-awakened length, Baekhyun grabs hold of the hand to stop it as a thought crosses his mind.

“Wait, don’t you work this morning?” He breathes, feeling the taller suddenly tense behind him.

“Yeah, what time is it?”

Baekhyun reluctantly breaks away from the warm cocoon of Chanyeol’s hold to lean over and peek at his digital alarm clock that he never uses because he has a phone. Except for now, of course. “Eight thirty-five.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Chanyeol curses, launching himself off the mattress and struggling to catch his balance on his too-long legs. “I have to be at the bookstore at nine.”

“But I wanted to cuddle all day,” Baekhyun whines, pout forming on his lips as he watches Chanyeol stumble around to find his clothes still sporting his morning wood. He stops briefly to look at Baekhyun before he’s crawling back up the bed and planting a kiss at the corner of his mouth where a tiny mole sits.

“Me too. But duty calls.”

Baekhyun groans as he drags himself out of bed, bending down to grab his flannel pants piled on the floor. While he’s pulling them on he notices the hoodie at his feet and he snatches it up, still laughing that the guy owns such a thing. “Want this?” he smirks, eyeing the topless man hunting for that very item.

When Chanyeol is finally dressed and ready to rush out the door so he can stop at his place and change into his uniform, he pauses briefly to turn around and gather the small brunet into his arms.

“I’m glad this happened,” he smiles, dimple making an appearance. His almond eyes are crinkled at the corners and his unruly curls are matted from sleep making him look the polar opposite of what his hoodie reads and yeah, Baekhyun is totally smitten.

“Me too,” Baekhyun beams as he lifts himself up on his toes to give a chaste kiss to the man’s cheek. “Maybe I’ll bring you lunch later.”

“It’s not gonna be pasta is it,” Chanyeol snickers. “‘Cause in that case…”

“ _Yah!_ ” Baekhyun swats at his chest, trying to look miffed but fighting to hold back a laugh. “Nevermind then.”

“I’m just kidding,” the taller chuckles, leaning down to kiss at Baekhyun’s tiny lip mole again. “I have to go.”

They reluctantly pull apart and Baekhyun steps aside to open his door, waving the man goodbye with the promise to see him later this afternoon with _takeout_. As soon as the door closes, he takes a deep breath, his heart still thumping hard against his chest and smile still glued to his face. He bites at his lip, thoughts of the man still flooding his mind as he makes his way into the kitchen to make some coffee.

Baekhyun reaches into the cupboard to pull out a mug and sets it on the counter, then moves to the refrigerator to grab the creamer; This time he decides to go with hazelnut. As he closes the fridge door and sets the bottle down beside his mug, he walks over to grab a K-Cup from the coffee tray and nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees what is resting on the wall right beside it.

“ _YAH_ ,” he shrieks hysterically at the brown spider already wreaking havoc on his morning. “Why are these damned things out to get me,” he cries out. His heart rate is increasing by the second, terrified of the stupid insect as he fumbles to grab his trusty bottle of Windex from beneath the sink.

Distracted with his own panic, Baekhyun doesn’t hear the steady knocking at his door until it gets progressively louder accompanied by a deep voice.

“Baekhyun I’m already gonna be late, let me get it,” the voice calls out, and Baekhyun can’t help the blush that creeps its way onto his cheeks.

_My own hero._

  
  
  
***  
  
  



End file.
